Rod Harbinson Photography

04/05/2026

The Karen hilltribe has long contested its right to self-governance with central government’s, be it Burma or Thailand. I freshly present here, archival photos shot on Kodachrome in the nineties. They explore what it is to inhabit the upland margins in Asia. , , , , ,

Here I draw on my own experiences with the hill tribes of mainland Southeast Asia to review James C. Scott’s 2009 book: ‘The Art of Not Being Governed.'

02/01/2026

Good to get my photo used in Spanish newspaper, La Region. #2026

Bangkok devuelve 18 soldados a Nom Pen al cumplirse 72 horas del cese de hostilidades

01/01/2026

Photos of my Year in Review. 2025 kicked off in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, where the streets erupted with ecstatic football supporters when Vietnam beat Thailand for the first time since 2019.

Boys crossed a railway track in coastal Cambodia, where efforts to clean up the plastic waste that blight every corner of this urban community are having an impact.

Time sometimes seems to have forgotten Northern England, where lean economic times have seen people slide nostalgically into a glorious era when Great Britain ruled the waves. Perhaps re-enacting this bygone era gave locals a sense of community pride as their pubs and highstreets shuttered. ‘A Splendid Day Out’ saw Steam Punk fans flocking to Morecambe and the Royal Air Force Red Devils dropped in for a cup of tea. Anniversary events gave people an excuse to dust off their 1940’s outfits, and just for a day, escape the cost-of-living grind.

The rapidly rising skyline of Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh is testament to economic boom times. It has yet to be seen whether it turns to a bust as the impact of conflict which erupted in July on the border with Thailand is felt. Following an uneasy truce in October, fighting re-erupted more seriously in December. A ceasefire held through New Year but Phnom Penh is still in mourning and the sky remained dark on NYE, devoid of fireworks. Perhaps too many bangs have been heard in recent weeks and nerves are still on edge. People were quick to rally around the impromptu aid centres set up to receive donations and send them to the many displaced people’s camps in provincial evacuation zones. A March for Peace gave people of every faith the chance to express what everyone wants: Peace. Here’s praying the ceasefire holds.

#2026

31/12/2023

From all the festival performances I saw in 2023 it was Grace Jones, now 75, who stole the show. As we enter a new year here’s a photo of mine from that memorable evening. Wishing you all Peace, Health and Happiness for 2024. It’s always risky to make predictions, but with at least 64 elections looming in the coming year, involving half the planet’s population, it seems pretty safe to say that we are in for a period of change. Let’s hope it’s change for the better and that the dark clouds of war clear.

01/09/2023

Time to sift through the photos from this summer's kicking festival season, which let's be fair, had its share of fans braving the rain. Boomtown was insane in the membrane even when Cypress Hill weren't playing! Watch out for more memories from there in the coming days.

31/08/2023

Cannons fire a cloud of confetti over the audience at Boomtown Festival

03/07/2023

I’ve long been a fan, so it was a privilege to photograph Grace Jones as she headlined Love Supreme festival. Despite her 75 years her powerful energetic stage presence and multiple costume changes wowed the crowds. Here are a few of my shots of the evening. Needless to say it’s gratifying that they are proving popular with the media.

08/05/2023

A welcome surprise to see my photo of coronation festivities in the village of Brockham in Surrey, on the front page of the newspaper!

The historic event was marked by parties and events held across the county as people got in the celebratory spirit

25/04/2023

I was out photographing on the final day of Extinction Rebellion's ‘The Big One’. A four day action from the 21st to the 24th April 2023 to highlight the dangers of Climate Change. Here are some of the results submitted to my agency. People from many groups gathered throughout Westminster and at the Houses of Parliament. It is the first set of activities where XR is trying a less confrontational approach in a bid to attract more supporters and win over public support.