Love them or loathe them, beards have seen a massive rise in popularity over the last few years. Where once they were seen as a relic of the past or sometimes even a mark of bad personal hygiene, beards are now being grown left, right and centre in as many styles as can possibly be groomed. 

Photographer Mr Elbank's new exhibition at Somerset House, Beard, celebrates the global beard trend. Featuring over 80 portraits of men sporting spectacular facial hair, Mr Elbank's subjects include actors, models, and other interesting characters such as tattoo artists and a British woman who has been growing a beard since the age of sixteen after being diagnosed with a rare condition that causes excess hair growth. 

The exhibition is on at Somerset House until the 29th of March. Admission is free. For more information, visit the Somerset House website. 

John Hurt © Mr Elbank

Brandon Baker © Mr Elbank

Harnaam Kaur © Mr Elbank