I wanted to create a series of portraits that treated the subjects with respect and honesty. Inspired by the film director Wes Anderson, I wanted the portraits to show how children can be culturally refined and wise beyond their years and how they can be idiosyncratic… qualities often overlooked or actively ignored in editorial shoots or on social media.
Each of the subject’s personalities and interests determined how the staged portraits were styled and constructed. The small details and locations helped tell the story of the subject.
I wanted to draw on some the stylistic and narrative traits of Wes Anderson too – the use of a wide-angle lens to create a sense of flatness, quirky production design, an embracement of nostalgia and a sense of adventure.
I also drew inspiration from Lewis Hine’s child labour series. He photographed his subjects on their level and as a consequence his photos were empathetic and respectful. And his compositions and overall approach were always front of mind when framing my own work.
When I started brainstorming and planning this folio, I came across a quote from Van Gogh in which he said he wanted to give his subjects that je ne sai quoi of the internal. I hope I have gone someway to achieving that with this series…
