"Creating terra firma was the desire to try and do something new and original in the form of printed matter. To work with photographers/artists and designers to curate their work with a strong vision in mind, alongside presenting my own imagery. At the start, I had not yet built any following, so I decided to use the creativity of friends as the foundation for the magazine. Issue 01 was mostly about individuals who were not practicing 'photographers', but instead studying to be teachers or doctors. They were each given a camera, a few rolls of film and a short brief to complete over three weeks. I then spent time scanning and editing their work together, which culminated in a printed and bound first issue of terra firma. This solidified the idea that terra firma was indeed a collaborative effort.

The are so many magazines that seem to be featuring the same sort of work and I was finding that very dull and unexciting. For each issue, we hold an open call for artists. This is truly an open call: we’re excited about artists of all disciplines, at every stage of their creative careers. This insistence to collaborate ensures we create a fresh and different publication each year.

I wanted to create something that was more than just a magazine, a publication that held weight, that took up space. Something to create an impact. It has been a hugely enjoyable experience working with the countless contributors; viewing their work; learning about their projects and processes; building relationships, all of which would never have been possible without terra firma.”

Editor in Chief Sophie Willison