Community Sauna Baths Hackney Wick is where it all began for me… it’s the OG!
This was my fourth summer shoot with Community Sauna, and returning to Hackney Wick always feels good. It's the place that made me realise I actually do like saunas (I always thought they were only in stuffy hotels!) and where I first experienced the incredible sense of community these spaces can create.
Each of the Community Sauna Baths sites has its own personality, and Hackney Wick definitely has an energy all of its own. I always find myself in the most fascinating conversations there, with everyone from actors and yoga teachers to artists, entrepreneurs and other wonderfully curious humans.
The biggest of the Community Sauna Baths sites, Hackney Wick is home to multiple saunas (big and small, hot and even hotter!), cold plunges, cosy hidden corners to decompress, tea on tap, plants popping up everywhere, miniature dinosaurs if you know where to look... and now even a table tennis table.
As always, a lovely bunch joined us for the shoot... chatting away, sharing stories, encouraging each other through the cold plunges and creating such a warm atmosphere that my job was easy.
As a photographer, I'm always looking for those magical moments… not just people sitting in a sauna, but having a laugh afterwards. Taking a deep breath before stepping into icy cold water. Capturing moments of stillness. Soaking up the sunshine. Making new friends. Sharing a quiet moment.
These are the photographs that always tell the real story.
Those are my favourites.
If you'd like to explore more of my work with Community Sauna Baths, you can also take a look at my shoots in Walthamstow, Camberwell and Stratford.
Looking for soulful photography for your sauna, retreat or wellbeing space?
Whether you're opening a new sauna, hosting a retreat, running a breathwork workshop or building a wellness brand, I'd love to help tell your story through natural, relaxed photography that captures not just what people are doing, but how it feels to be there.
Explore my other Community Sauna Baths stories: