“Together”

“This represents a feeling of facing the world with others by your side and, although times can be hard (you can be in the dark) being together means you can see a light at the other side of the tunnel.”

“Chaotic”

“This photo represents so much happening and so much motion.”

“Alone” 

“This shot represents feeling alone against the world. The subject is looking out across the sea and the way I shot it from far above distorts the sense of perspective and creates the impression the sea is weighing down on top of him or about to engulf him. This feels like a powerful representation of feeling alone and how crushing it can feel.”

“Slowly Drifting”

“This piece is meant to represent a feeling of losing yourself. A process of drifting away from the ‘real’ you until you are no longer sure who you are anymore. I shot with blue lighting to capture the melancholy and cold look I wanted the photo to embody and also to appear slightly like the sea and drifting waves. I also shot multiple exposures and combined them to have the array of shadows fading away to represent the idea of unsteady change.”

“Frozen While the World Moves”

“This image represents feeling out of control and stuck. The light and movement are hectic in the background and the darkness around the image is encroaching in. I shot with a slow shutter speed to get the blurred lines and sense of motion but my subject kept still so there is this unbalance between motion and stillness, like the subject is stuck but everything around them is continuing like usual.”

“Lost”

“This image represents a feeling of not knowing who you are really are and a struggle with personal identity that I think many feel when growing up. This feeling of confusion then leads to wanting to hide from the world and ‘camouflage’ into your surroundings as shown here.”

“Functionally Dysfunctional” by Sally

“Is this the new norm?”

“Paranoia” by Izzi, age 18

“Scopaesthesia is the psychic feeling that you’re being watched by an unknown force, causing a constant state of paranoia.”

“Euphoria” by Charlotte  

“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.” I have taken this inspirational quote from Paul Caponigro as it sums up the idea behind my photograph.

“Trapped’ by Rihan, age 11

“Let me out, let me out!   That’s how I felt sometimes during lockdown.  I just wanted to get away from those four walls and that screen!  Wow, my eyes!  Trapped, trapped, trapped.  Let me out, let me out!”

“Isolated” by Tasnim

“The old torn curtains popping out of a broken window frame made up of rotting wood made me think about what is must have been like for someone who lived all on their own during.  They may have been stuck in a cold room with no one to talk to – isolated – feeing it to be too dangerous to go outside in case they catch the dreaded Covid-19. I felt like that at times but at least I had my family with me.”

“Together Forever” by Ilaya, age 11

“When we could see each other again, it was amazing.  Lockdown stopped me from seeing my friends.  I missed them a lot!”

“Ugly” by Aise, age 11

“This is how I felt about myself when I was bullied in a previous school and towards the bully.”

“You’re not Alone” by Aise, age 11

“We were there for each other during lockdown.  We went through the same feelings and it was great to see each other in the flesh again after lockdown.”

“Lonely” by Adam

“Shows the impact that lockdown had on me.  I could not see any of my friends or do the sports that I enjoy doing.  We could not play outside or go into school.”

“Behind the Mask” by Lola, age 17

“This is linked to the idea of masks and COVID 19. It is to represent us taking off the mask and allowing people to see our face. The emotion of the image can be seen as positive or negatively, which links to whether taking off our masks will be the right thing to do or not?”

“Free as a Bird”

“This image was quite a tricky task, but it turned out to be a masterpiece. Birds aren’t easy to keep still when there is movement. I choose this title because it’s a name of a song that I think suits the image best.”

“Beauty in Shadow Form”

“This image represents how you can only see the expression of face in the light but not anything else around it as the darkness hides what you cannot see. This image shows that although we can see the facial expressions we don’t know what is happening in the darkness.”

“Uncertain/Out of Reach” by Beth,

“I have described the feeling of this image as Uncertain and out of reach, as the view behind the thick fog cannot be seen creating a mysterious atmosphere and the feeling of the unknown. I feel that people can relate to this feeling as the pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty and worry. The background of this image also displays both light and dark reaches, which represents to me the positive days that are yet to come, out of this dark unprecedented time.”

“Freedom Filled Heart”

“The lady in this image is holding these balloons in memory of a loved one close to her heart.”

“Approaching Storm” by Beth

“This photograph was captured on Port Talbot beach. This image captures the both beauty and power of nature and I find myself being drawn greatly to the splashes of water across this image, as well as the range of tones, which are vibrant and create contrast. I find that this image does not reflect anger, but however this is the moment just before the waves are at their harshest and most violent, which is why I have titled this image the approaching storm.”

“Reconnect” by Malini

“This photo shows me reconnecting with my Desi heritage. The lack of saturation on my skin shows that our culture was stripped from me and my family as we were forced to assimilate.”

“Waiting for something to Happen” by Nico

“I thought the school graffiti was interesting – questions like “what’s happening” and “why” reminded me of the confusion and hopelessness lots of students are feeling at this time due to the pandemic.”

“Loss” by Leela

“Many families have suffered challenges as a result of the pandemic, as a tribute to those who have died in recent years.”

“Enclosed” by Verity

“Trapped in a world we once loved.”

“Help” by Soloman

“One day I was out in London, outside Victoria station and as I was walking I saw this women holding a milk carton reading that she needed help. I decided to take a photo, to send and create a message to the world, because there are millions of people around the world struggling and in pain.”

“Sorrow” by Verity

“The earth’s tears.”

“Curiosity”
from Lauriston Primary School

“I loved watching my little brother wading through the puddle. He was wondering how deep the water would be and if it was going to go over the top of his wellies, then he started worrying in case there was something at the bottom of the puddle! When my mum was small she was told if she looked at the swirling mud on the top of a puddle, then she’d go back in time. She was terrified about what time to choose to go back to!”

“Optimistic”
from Lauriston Primary School

“I’d heard the rain falling at night, so I was expecting a miserable grey start to the day; but when I opened my blind in the morning there was a beautiful sunrise – and I thought what a lovely fresh start that was and how today was going to be a good day.”

“Moody”
from Lauriston Primary School

“I had some mixed feelings and thought moody described how I felt. The sky is mixed colours and light – like my feelings and the tree is spiky.”

“Free” by Farzana, age 10
from Daubeney Primary School

“Angelic” by Elliot, age 10
from Lauriston Primary School

“My sister Astrid in Sweden just after Christmas Day looking angelic.”

“Tangled” by Rukiya, age 10
from Daubeney Primary School

“Schmaltz “by Ben, age 16

“This abstract psychedelic piece contains a collection of vinyl’s connoting that of the minds mental state when using music as a deep sentimental escapism method from society.”

“Perfect” by Ciara, age 16

“Perfection through objects.”

“Idiosyncrasy” by Ben, age 16

“This idiosyncratic emotive piece depicts the peculiar mannerisms of individuality in society implementing the social disparities of mind set and feeling out of place within an overwhelming environment.”

“Two-Faced” by Ciara, age 16

“This represents that people can have two different sides to their personality.”

“Hope” by Luke, age 16

“A spark of light through a dark time.”