Safa Basharat Malik ‘Saf’ is a British-Pakistani social documentary and portrait photographer based in Birmingham, England.
Her photographic practice explores themes of fashion and cultural identity, community narratives, and social memory through portraiture and documentary, remaining grounded in authenticity, empathy, and a commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices through visual storytelling.
In 2024, Safa graduated from Birmingham City University—ranked No.1 by The Guardian in 2023 and 2024—with a BA (Hons) in Visual Communication (Photography) where she won the award for Most Improved Student. She also holds a Foundation degree in Art & Design from South & City Bournville College in partnership with the University of Wolverhampton.
Safa was selected as 1 of 100 winners for Portrait of Britain Volume. 7 by the British Journal of Photography in January 2025 for her portrait of Leanne Mohamad.
Her photographic project 'Draped In Resistance' has won and been shortlisted for multiple awards and exhibitions including Portrait of Britain Volume. 8 and The Royal Photographic Society (RPS) International Photography Exhibition. Nominated as 1 of 10 finalists for the Association of Photographers (AOP) Emerging Talent award, she was announced as joint-Silver award winner in October 2025.
Safa was also recently 1 of 9 creatives selected for the 2026 Fashion Accelerator Programme by Graduate Fashion Foundation in partnership with PVH Foundation and Dazed Magazine.
(You may see my work also published under Safa Malik or Safa Basharat)
Royal Photographic Society, RPS IPE 167 Selected Exhibitor (2026)
Graduate Fashion Foundation, Fashion Accelerator Selected Participant (2026)
British Journal of Photography, Portrait of Britain Volume. 8 Award, Shortlist (2025)
Association of Photographers (AOP) Emerging Talent Award Finalist & Joint-Silver Award Winner (2025)
British Journal of Photography, Portrait Of Britain Volume. 7 Award, Shortlist & Winner (2024-2025)
Birmingham City University BA (Hons) Photography Awards — Most Improved Student Award (2024)
FREE RANGE SHOWS: Fashion Accelerator Artist Spotlight interview
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE: ‘How I found confidence through photography’
GRADUATE FASHION FOUNDATION: Carrying Homeland, by Tala & Safa
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE: Ones to watch: Up-and-coming photographers you should be following on Instagram right now!
SOUTHWEST HERITAGE TRUST: RPS International Photography Exhibition 167
GRADUATE FASHION FOUNDATION: Discover Free Range’s Exhibition Featuring GFF Photography Talent
THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY: Exhibitors: International Photography Exhibition 167
10 MAGAZINE: Graduate Fashion Week 2026: The Final Take
PAUSE MAGAZINE: Graduate Fashion Week: Six Designers to have on your radar
DAZED MAGAZINE: Behind the scenes at Graduate Fashion Week 2026
THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY: IPE 167 Shortlist Announcement
LUNA PHOTO BIRMINGHAM: Care & Defiance Exhibition Artists Selection
HYPHEN: Portrait of Britain 2025: faces of a dynamic, yet uncertain nation
PHOTO VOGUE: Safa B. Malik
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Portrait of Britain Volume. 8 Shortlist
ASSOCIATION OF PHOTOGRAPHERS (AOP): Focus from the AOP — Issue #10, October 2025
ALL ABOUT PHOTO: Winners Announced for the 40th AOP Awards
MACFILOS: Top Winners of the 2025 AOP Photography Awards
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE: 40th AOP Awards article
DIGITIAL CAMERA WORLD: The 'Oscars of photography': Winners of 40th AOP Awards reveal the very best of modern photography
ASSOCIATION OF PHOTOGRAPHERS (AOP): Focus from the AOP — Issue #9, September 2025
MACFILOS: Finalists announced for the 2025 AOP Emerging Talent Awards
ASSOCIATION OF PHOTOGRAPHERS (AOP): Emerging Talent Awards 2025 — Meet the Finalists/Winners
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Portrait of Britain Volume. 7 Winners
Graduate Fashion Week Live: Being an Early Years Founder
Luna Photo Birmingham x Care & Defiance: Being a woman in photography today
Graduate Fashion Foundation: Fashion Accelerator launch
The Royal Photographic Society, IPE 167 Tour, The Museum of Somerset October-November 2026 (upcoming)
The Royal Photographic Society, IPE 167, Saatchi Gallery, London August-September 2026
Graduate Fashion Week at Free Range, The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London July 2026
Graduate Fashion Week: The Innovators of Tomorrow Showroom (supported by PVH Foundation & Dazed Media), The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London June 2026
Care & Defiance x Luna Photo Birmingham, Centrala Art Gallery, Digbeth, Birmingham May 2026
Womanhood, The Photobook Café, London April-May 2026
British Journal of Photography, Portrait of Britain Volume. 8 Book launch (with WePresent by WeTransfer), Protein Studios, Shoreditch, London January 2026
40th AOP Anniversary Awards Showcase, Lock Warehouse, Tower Hamlets, London October 2025
British Journal of Photography, Portrait of Britain Volume. 7 (sponsored by JCDecaux) January-February 2025
‘Infinity’ Exhibition at Free Range (with Birmingham City University), The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London June 2024
‘Infinity’ Exhibition as part of the BCU Inspired Festival at Birmingham City University, Parkside Campus June 2024
Luna Photo Birmingham (Women In Photo) Open Call Digital Exhibition, Centrala Art Gallery, Digbeth, Birmingham March 2024
End of degree show (with South & City College), The Hive Cafe & Bakery, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham May 2021
End of 1st year show (with South & City College), The Hive Cafe & Bakery, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham September 2020
Bluecoat Press, Portrait of Britain, Volume. 8
40th Association of Photographers (AOP) Anniversary Awards 2025