Getting Through This

During the lockdown, I worked on a project called "Getting Through This" to cope with my mental health struggles after losing my sister to suicide. I wanted to safely interact with people and use my camera to alleviate my anxiety. While following government guidelines, I walked the streets of Birmingham and approached people in the community from a safe distance. I provided them with a platform to express their feelings and positivity by handing them a board to write on. Using my camera, I captured portraits of a diverse range of individuals from the community.

 

The project received widespread attention across the UK and the West Midlands, and it was even published in national press. It won a mental health award from The West Midlands Combined Authority. The project aimed to help others by allowing people to relate to the individuals in the photographs and by providing a space for them to express their feelings during a pandemic. It was heart-warming to hear that the project reached new people and made them feel better. Participants and viewers alike expressed how discussing their feelings and seeing the work had a positive impact on them during a worrying time.

 

I shared the project with The Royal Photographic Society Contemporary group through Zoom, and it was featured in their published journal. Additionally, universities and schools reached out to invite me to discuss the project with students, and the response was incredibly positive. The project was even exhibited in Coventry in the Theatre Shop Front windows, a meaningful location as it was a venue where my sister had worked on a similar project before. Feedback from the community emphasised the ongoing importance of the project for people's mental health after life returns to normal. As a result, I continued my work and have been focusing on a new project called "You Are Not Alone," with the hope of helping more people who struggle with mental health and letting them know they are not alone in the world.