The 40%
Project
FEMALE MPs PHOTOGRAPHED BY ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY (RPS) WOMEN IN PHOTOGRAPHY
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A WOMEN-LED photography project will celebrate the record-breaking 264 women MPs in Parliament who are representing people across the UK.
The Royal Photographic Society’s (RPS) Women in Photography (WIP) group has launched the 40% Project, a portrait initiative that matches women photographers with MPs to visually honour this inspiring milestone.
Sue Wright, Chair of the RPS WIP group, said: “As a result of the 2024 General Election, we now have the highest number of women MPs in Parliament”.
“We plan to record the strength, grace, and power of these women through the talents of female and female-identifying photographers, by capturing the essence of their leadership through photography.”
The WIP group initially offered the opportunity to its group members, with more than half of the MPs now taking part and being photographed. There will also be a call-out to other women photographers via colleges, universities, and other women-led photographic organisations to create portraits with the remaining politicians.
Celebrating Women in Parliament
Samantha Dixon
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Chester North & Neston Constituency
I had the upmost pleasure to be part of this amazing project and the privilege to photograph MP Samantha Dixon.
Sam grew up in rural Cheshire and continues to live in Chester with her family. She is a proud Cestrian and advocate for the city. For 12 years, Sam served as a local authority councillor representing residents in Chester city centre. She was the first female leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, holding the post from 2015 to 2019. During this time Sam was instrumental in delivering Storyhouse, establishing the first council-led Poverty Truth Commission in the country, and helped bring forward the first phase of the Northgate Development. Sam’s public service was recognised in 2022, with an appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee honours list for political services. 
Sam chose to have her images taken at Storyhouse. More than just a cultural landmark. One of those places that feels like it was made for the whole community, not just for performances or reading.
For Sam, it’s a place where Chester’s past and present come together, it holds a special place in her heart. As a child, she came here when it was the Odeon, watching films on the big screen long before its transformation into the award-winning Storyhouse we know today. Returning now, she finds the same magic, the warm hum of people gathering, stories being shared and creativity thriving in every corner.
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The 40% Project will represent the women who are continuing the work to reshape our political landscape and result in a public exhibition scheduled for mid 2026. To View the selected portrait, read more about Samantha Dixon, the project and other MPs HERE or follow @rpswomeninphotography
Maria Eagle
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Liverpool Garston Constituency
Maria Eagle has deep roots in Merseyside and a long record of public service shaped by community, fairness and social justice. First elected as MP for Liverpool Garston in 1997, she has represented South Liverpool and Halewood for almost three decades, living locally and maintaining a strong connection to the people and places she serves.
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Before entering Parliament, she worked in the voluntary sector and trained as a solicitor in Liverpool. Her legal work brought her into contact with the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster, an experience that later informed her steadfast campaigning for justice for bereaved families.
For this portrait, we chose locations that reflected both Maria’s constituency and her personal story. We photographed at the original Strawberry Field gates, a site she is particularly proud to be connected to as both one of the few MPs whose constituency includes a connection to the Beatles and an original Beatles fan. Yet it was Speke Hall that ultimately resonated most strongly.
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During the shoot, Maria spoke warmly about her connection to this landscape and her appreciation for its sense of continuity. The yews, both fragile and resilient, seemed a fitting metaphor for her values. Rooted in history, yet constantly growing. Shaped by the past, yet very much alive in the present. As we worked together beneath their sheltering canopy, there was a shared sense that this was more than just a portrait. The image speaks to leadership shaped by heritage, community and care for the world that came before us. It reminds us that history is not static, it lives through the people who walk within it, protect it, and carry its stories forward.
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The 40% Project will represent the women who are continuing the work to reshape our political landscape and result in a public exhibition scheduled for mid 2026. To View the selected portrait, read more about Maria Eagle, the project and other MPs HERE or follow @rpswomeninphotography
Marie Rimmer
Helens South and Whiston
I photographed Marie in her own home. It was an intimate and thoughtful setting that reflected who she is away from public life, warm, welcoming and deeply connected to the people and places that matter most to her.
Photographing someone in their personal space creates a different kind of portrait. There is a sense of trust and openness that cannot be recreated elsewhere. Our time together felt remarkably natural from the outset. Rather than talking about politics or public life, our conversations centred on family, memories and the experiences that have shaped her personally. There was an immediate sense of trust between us and the afternoon unfolded with ease and warmth. That openness allowed me to capture a side of Marie that felt deeply authentic, not simply as an MP, but as a person.
Marie Rimmer CBE has dedicated her life to public service, spending decades championing the communities of St Helens and beyond. Born in St Helens, she has remained deeply rooted in the town she still proudly calls home. Before entering Parliament in 2015 as the MP for St Helens South and Whiston, Marie worked at Pilkington, rising from messenger to Health and Safety Advisor. Her work has helped shape the community in lasting ways. In recognition of her service to local government, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
The resulting portrait feels personal and honest, a reflection of a woman whose life has been
shaped by dedication, resilience and an enduring sense of responsibility to the place she has
always called home
Featured in the RPS Women in Photography Magazine – April Issue
This project has been featured in the April issue of the Royal Photographic Society Women in Photography magazine.
The article highlights the ongoing work of the 40% Project and its focus on celebrating women in leadership through portraiture. I’m incredibly proud to be part of this initiative and to see the work recognised by such a respected organisation within the photography community. Read Aprils full edition HERE