Tara Darby, The Bars

“I have been working on the bars project since November 2021. I have been fascinated by these simple bars and the way they are used, particularly over lockdown when gyms were closed. It is one of the more intimidating projects I have worked on as it is a very male environment and I have also had to be mindful of the fact that people do not want to be interrupted during their work out. The best time for the shoots and interviews is after they finish, when the endorphins are flowing. Because of this it is more of a slow burner as it takes a bit of time to gain people’s trust. I definitely need physicality and training in my daily life and I am fascinated to hear about what exercise means to other people and the reasons that people work out for both physical and mental health.”