My favourite community in London, Community Sauna Baths, invited me to photograph the opening party for their newest site in Walthamstow this September. The space includes a cute community garden, complete with a polytunnel and soon-to-be chickens, making it a welcoming spot for locals and visitors alike.
Documenting the celebrations was super fun. I bumped into lots of familiar faces and met plenty of new people. The sun shone, and locals, council members, and nearby businesses all joined in to enjoy sauna rituals like Aufguss, Laughguss with Barry Sykes, birch-leaf whisking, icy plunges, live music, and some seriously tasty curry. Capturing these real, joyful moments is exactly why I love photographing community and wellness events.
I’ve adored this not-for-profit for a long time and love what they stand for, creating affordable and accessible saunas where people can come together to rest, connect and reset. Each site has its own energy, and Walthamstow already feels like a special one.
As a brand photographer it’s a dream to capture moments like these, real, unscripted, full of movement and feeling. You can sense the care that’s gone into every detail of the space - check out their new playful merch too (sauna hats and t-shirts), they’re super cool. I love that the site is built in the round, with a fire pit in the decompression area for chilling and staying warm. Plus, the outdoor hot showers are a total luxury after the 4 degree cold plunge.
If you’re building something with soul, a wellness project, a community space, or an experience that brings people together, I’d love to help you tell its story through photography.
Wanna find out more about Community Sauna Baths, you can find them here:
www.community-sauna.co.uk
www.instagram.com/communitysaunabaths
