INSIDE THE BURLESQUE BOUDOIR
An intimate study in photography

Highly established documentary photographer, Debby Besford spent the years between 2005-7 researching and photographing complex stories around the representation of the contemporary female, with emphasis on the Burlesque stage performer. This project evolved in Brighton and London.

This project celebrates the idea of play between the photographer and the performer's private space. The images juxtapose fantasy and reality, combining a sense of empowerment and mystique of each woman’s identity and her private space. The domestic interiors are in themselves a theatre, where the lives of the performers take on a different persona.

Collaborating with these women was a journey of immense trust and respect. These images offer subtle visual clues around the performer’s private worlds, stimulating our imagination. We are encouraged to question our interpretation of the female performer and to question her ‘separate’ identity.

I am a photographic artist based in Norfolk and have dedicated over 25 years, to creatively documenting extraordinary people and telling stories.

My work has been published in national newspapers and magazines, including online and touring exhibitions. My new book, Inside the Burlesque Boudoir by Blurring Books NYC will be on sale from October 2024.

My time is spent between commissions and personal work based in the UK, and travelling to countries to work on photography projects.

I hold a Masters in Photography from the London College of Communication and work as a visiting lecturer in Universities in the East of England.