Looking out

I featured one of Julia Fullerton-Batten's photos in my Portrait of Britain post last week. That (top image) was from her series Looking Out From Within, in which she's photographed people in her area of West London during lockdown. They're inside looking out: she's outside looking in.

I chose to capture them in their lockdown isolation, effectively imprisoned behind the windows of their homes looking out onto a different desolate world. I advertised my idea via social media and the local press in my home area of West London. The response was enormous. I even got responses from people living outside London expressing interest in taking part….

I recce their home before the shoot to get an idea of the setting, angles, etc. I restrict all journeys and times to stay within the Government guidelines. No physical contact is made. They stand at their windows and we communicate through the window with hand signals or by phone. Everything is discussed prior to the shoot; the type of masks and wardrobe that can be anything from nightgowns to funky or formal dress worn especially for the photoshoot. My twelve year old son Finn helps me carry the lighting. We set it up and a few poses later the shoot is over. I also interview each person I photograph in an informal way.

Some more of her portraits:

Serena and Chloe, Lockdown Day 16 © Julia Fullerton-Batten