The Safe Spaces project aims at building young people’s confidence and emotional wellbeing, while empowering them to investigate the world around them and work towards their OCN accreditation.

Here, the young people experiment with DSLR photography, practicing various techniques to see how the composition of a photograph can alter the feeling it gives to the viewer. As a group, the young people planned and prepared the photo shoot with the aim of eventually working towards holding their own independent photo shoots. 

The young people worked together to model and photograph each other, developing their relationships with one another while also enhancing their multi-media skills. By being on both sides of the camera, the young people demonstrated their improved confidence and their comfort around one another. Likewise, being able to direct a model and make them feel secure is an important skill for a photographer as the slightest move or angle change can completely alter the atmosphere of the photograph.

Check out some of their photographs below:

[Photos by Bimbola]

[Photos by Yosias]

[Photos by Damani]

This project was produced as a collaboration between Soapbox and Headliners (UK).

Thank you to the Edward Gostling Foundation for making these sessions possible.