Biography
Ruth Emily Hanson ARPS is a British photographer living in Lancaster, in the North West of England.
Working with self-portraiture and conceptual photography, Ruth's practice draws on her lived experience of trauma, dissociative identity disorder, amnesia, mental ill health and recovery. She advocates that photography has the capacity for both personal healing and empowerment and for fostering empathy, shared understanding and meaningful human connection.
Alongside her personal practice, Ruth's documentary work explores cultural memory, community and belonging, shaped by an enduring interest in anthropology, travel and the relationship between people and place.
Ruth holds a Bachelors degree in Communication, Culture and Media, and a Masters degree in Gender and Women's Studies, which continue to inform her exploration into authorship and representation in storytelling.
Ruth was awarded the Associate distinction of the Royal Photographic Society in 2007 and is currently working towards Fellowship. Her work has been exhibited and published in the UK and internationally, and two of her portrait photographs are held in the Royal Photographic Society's New Collection.
Qualifications and Distinctions
2018 PhotoVoice Methodology Training: A Comprehensive Introduction to Participatory Photography
2014 Lancaster University: MA Gender and Women's Studies - with Merit
2008 Manchester Metropolitan University: BA(Hons) Communication in Culture and Media - with First Class Honours
2007 Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society (ARPS)
2006 Licentiateship of the Royal Photographic Society (LRPS)
2004 Australian College of Journalism: Diploma in Travel Journalism and Photography
2018 PhotoVoice Methodology Training: A Comprehensive Introduction to Participatory Photography
2014 Lancaster University: MA Gender and Women's Studies - with Merit
2008 Manchester Metropolitan University: BA(Hons) Communication in Culture and Media - with First Class Honours
2007 Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society (ARPS)
2006 Licentiateship of the Royal Photographic Society (LRPS)
Exhibitions
2026 Print Room Cafe, The Storey, Lancaster, UK: 'The Bone Collector' solo exhibition
2026 LA1 Shorts Film Festival: screening of short film 'Between The Walls and the Trees'
2026 Assembly Arts, Lancaster, UK: 'The Fascination of Plants' group exhibition in conjunction with Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University
2026 Assembly Arts, Lancaster, UK: 'Eden' group exhibition with Assembly Photographic Collective
2026 Photo North Festival, Leeds, UK: Royal Photographic Society 'Portrait of Bradford' group exhibition
2026 Davey Street Market, Bradford, UK: Royal Photographic Society 'Portrait of Bradford' group exhibition
2025 Assembly Arts, Lancaster, UK: 'Erudite' group exhibition with Assembly Arts members
2025 Assembly Arts, Lancaster, UK: 'Lancaster' group exhibition with Assembly Photographic Collective
2013 Fallout Factory, Liverpool, UK in LOOK13 International Photography Festival: 'If Truth Be Told...' group exhibition with Fabricate Collective
2007 Le Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland: Tous Photographes! [We Are All Photographers Now!] group exhibition
Exhibitions
2026 Print Room Cafe, The Storey, Lancaster, UK: 'The Bone Collector' solo exhibition
2026 Assembly Arts, Lancaster, UK: 'The Fascination of Plants' group exhibition in conjunction with Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University
2026 Assembly Arts, Lancaster, UK: 'Eden' group exhibition with Assembly Photographic Collective
2026 Photo North Festival, Leeds, UK: Royal Photographic Society 'Portrait of Bradford' group exhibition
Davey Street Market, Bradford, UK: Royal Photographic Society 'Portrait of Bradford' group exhibition
2025 Assembly Arts, Lancaster, UK: 'Erudite' group exhibition with Assembly Arts members
2025 Assembly Arts, Lancaster, UK: 'Lancaster' group exhibition with Assembly Photographic Collective
2013 Fallout Factory, Liverpool, UK in LOOK13 International Photography Festival: 'If Truth Be Told...' group exhibition with Fabricate Collective
Publications
2026 'The North Revisited' by Simon Hill HonFRPS (forthcoming book by Image and Reality): publication of 'behind the scenes' photographs taken of Simon Hill working on this project
2026 Lancaster Guardian, UK (5 May 2026): photographs published with article about local May Day rally
2026 Telegraph and Argus, Bradford (March 2026): photographs published to advertise RPS Portrait of Bradford exhibition at Photo North festival
2026 Royal Photographic Society Journal volume 166 no.2 (April-June 2026) pages 140-143: photography feature and interview 'It Was The Catalyst for Healing' for Mental Health Week 2026
2025 Travel Log - The Journal of the Royal Photographic Society Travel Group issue 94 (Summer 2025): publication of Tourist Queens photograph, highly commended in the annual competition
2008 Royal Photographic Society Journal volume 148 no.10 (June 2008) pages 208-211: photography feature and interview
2008 The Vegan - magazine of The Vegan Society (Spring 2008), page 31: photography feature
2006 Photography Monthly, UK, issue 66 (November 2006): cover photograph and magazine article following 'Shoot The Cover' competition win
2006 DC Photo magazine, Hong Kong, issue 62 (August 2006) pages 24-29: photography feature and interview
2006 The Times Online: publication of Shadows on Montmartre photograph, following competition win
Publications
2026 Royal Photographic Society Journal volume 146 no.2 pages xxx-xxx: feature on creativity and mental health....
Photography Monthly cover
Royal Photographic Society Journal 2008 june?
DC Photo, Hong Kong 2006