William Lyons City Musick @ Dartington

I had passed this tree at the top of Dartington drive a thousand times and admired its silhouette especially as the sun sets from behind.
It reminded me of a book of Russian fairy tales I had as a child. The scenes were cut from pieces of black and placed on hand marbled paper, a kind of shadow puppet effect, strangely eerie.
I was commissioned by William Lyons the director of City Musick to take some group portraits after meeting them and seeing their bizarre array of early brass and horns I thought where better to place them but on top of that hill so they also become silhouettes in a surreal scene. It was difficult to direct from the bottom of a hill but luckily they were good at translating my wild gesticulation and came up with some pretty funky shapes of their own!

Tin Girls

It is said that in Sindhupalchok, Nepal, you can tell which household has sold a daughter, or lost a mother by looking at the rooftops of the village. The ones with the corrugated tin as opposed to the traditional timber and slate indicate that a sacrifice has been made. A selfless act to try and better the family’s situation.

The unaffectionate nickname given to these women who gave their lives is ‘Tin Girls’.

I travelled to Nepal and stayed with the families of survivors of trafficking who hope that by sharing their stories may help break the social stigma around trafficking and prevent it from happening to others. I hope that my photographs reflect the respect and admiration I have for these women and their family’s.

tin girls

daughter of trafficked woman

the whole family often share one bed

Susma returned to Nepal HIV positive

agriculture in the Himalayas is suffering due to global warming

"he was two years old when I left him"

sisters

work and conditions are harsh for the women in the mountains

  

sisters sing bollywood song

tika

letter sent home from woman in Saudi

most women are recruited by 'agents' who offer them enough to pay for their child's education 

Sindupahlchowk Nepal