Quantum Portraits, David Severn, 2025

What does quantum research actually look like?

At King’s College London it takes many different forms, and is done by researchers at all career stages and in different disciplines. Photographer David Severn captured this breadth in a series of portraits taken across the college’s campuses, and in quantum research facilities in the wider United Kingdom. From state-of-the-art labs to classroom blackboards, the photographs reflect the range of tools, approaches and objectives in quantum research. While some researchers are seeking to transform core infrastructure and services in healthcare and technology, others are seeking answers to some of humanity’s oldest questions; from why our Universe is the way it is, to the nature of time and space.

David Severn is a Documentary Photographer based in Nottingham, UK. His photography deals with themes such as the effects of deindustrialization, working class culture and social life within British post-industrial communities. Drawn to subjects that echo his experiences growing up in a former Coal Mining town in the East Midlands, David’s photographs seek to capture a sense of place shaped by his memories and cultural background.

David’s work has been exhibited and published internationally, and is held in the collections of Martin Parr Foundation & National Coal Mining Museum for England. He was nominated for the FOAM Paul Huf Award 2020.