Second Photoshoot Contact Sheet

This was my second shoot for the project. This time I brought my Instax Mini 8 polaroid camera with me so that I could teach my uncle how to take photographs. I set the camera up onto the house setting and inserted the film so that it was ready for him to take photos. I asked staff member Maria to accompany me around the site and she was very excited to be apart of this project and was more than happy to assist my uncle with taking the photographs. Feeling inspired by David Moore's maquettes of his photographs I decided to come up with my own way of showing the presence of the photographer by photographing my uncle as he took his pictures.

First Diary Entry

My First Diary Entry

First Photoshoot Contact Sheet

This is my first photoshoot for this project. I wanted to take photographs of my uncle using my DSLR to show the kind activities that performs on an everyday basis whether it's making himself a cup of lemon tea or practicing his singing. I also wanted to use this time for him to get used to being photographed in his home as well as explaining to him the idea for the collaborative project that we would be working on together. It was also a chance for me to meet some of the staff including his key worker and I also explained the project to them. The only rule that they had was that neither my uncle Mark or myself could photograph any of the other service users (residents) because of data protection which was fine for me as I wanted the project to be solely about my uncle, my family and me.

My Starting Point

Before I started this project I didn't really have any knowledge about what Down Syndrome was. Growing up I always knew that my uncle Mark was different and my sister and I never got sheltered away from him which is lovely thinking about it as years ago people with Down Syndrome would have been hidden away from literally everyone. 

The main aim for my work is to develop a close relationship with my uncle through a collaborative photography project, my other aim is to gain a better understanding of Down Syndrome and how it is portrayed and talked about in todays society. My nan (my uncle Mark's mum) died when I was 10 years old so I never really got the chance to ask her about my uncle Mark's disability. My uncle was someone that she loved and cared for since day 1 and he definitely had a special place in her heart, because of that they was extremely close so I feel that by producing this collaborative project with him, that is my way of reconnecting with her.

I will be teaching my uncle how to use my Instax Mini 8 Polaroid Camera as I feel that my DSLR might be too complicated for him and it may also be too heavy. There will be a more positive outcome by letting him take photographs using a polaroid camera, not only does he get an instant result but he will be able to watch as it develops and he will be able to see his photographs appearing which I think he will find more enjoyable.

I wrote small diary entries of thoughts and feelings for each time that I went to visit so I will insert photographs of each diary entry throughout the project.

Project Proposal Form and Timetable

Other Research Links

Here are some links to all the other parts of my research, there are links from things that are more scientific and there are also news articles, links to a clothing models instagram page who has DS and there is even a link to a YouTube Channel called Canadian Down Syndrome where people with DS answer any questions that you my have about their lives, as well as many other links. 

ALL of these links are relevant especially when it comes to specific facts and figures, they have the MOST important information to help you as viewers to understand Down Syndrome and there are also some links to different charities for people with learning disabilities such as DS:

The National Association for Down Syndrome:
https://www.nads.org/about-us/history-of-nads/

Preferred Language Guide:
https://www.ndss.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/NDSS-Preferred-Language-Guide-2015.pdf

Facts About Down Syndrome:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/downsyndrome.html
https://www.ndss.org/about-down-syndrome/down-syndrome/
https://www.ndss.org/resources/sexuality/
https://www.ndss.org/about-down-syndrome/down-syndrome-facts/
https://www.ndss.org/about-down-syndrome/down-syndrome-through-the-lifespan/

Kate Grant hailed as an inspiration on 'this morning' for landing two major campaigns, one of the UK's (more specifically Northern Ireland) first Down Syndrome Models and she's beautiful!:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6682575/This-Morning-viewers-hail-Downs-Syndrome-model-Kate-Grant-inspiration.html?fbclid=IwAR3ip2ZERVZZ5YAuLINLGq_jjgKHsh7rsMO44pNRsdM5RrW4hFhSTmpWtjI

Kate Grant's Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/kategrantmodel/

Changing Focus: people with Down's Syndrome in a remarkable art project:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/17/radical-beauty-stunning-portraits-of-people-with-downs-syndrome?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR1sJX-PpPL_7hRyI9ESubxIHBkYlZMuEPnPJuvYpdEQ5X2QMEZoQDzsxtg

Tate Modern Workshop - I Am: With A New Direction:
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/tate-exchange/workshop/i-am

The Disabled Photographer Society:
https://www.the-dps.co.uk/

Mencap - The Voice of Learning Disability:
https://www.mencap.org.uk/

BBC News Article - Society 'more positive on Down's':
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7746747.stm

Down Syndrome International:
https://www.dseinternational.org/en-gb/

ITV News Article - 'It is just one aspect of him' The changing attitudes to people with Down's Syndrome:
https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2018-06-11/it-is-just-one-aspect-of-him-the-changing-attitudes-to-people-with-downs-syndrome/

Meadowfields School in Sittingbourne is one of the best (if not the best) schools for children with disabilities in the whole of Kent, it is a school for children who have severe learning disabilities:
https://www.meadowfield.kent.sch.uk/

Canadian Down syndrome is a YouTube Channel where people with DS answer any questions that you may have regarding their lives as well as Family Interviews and much more:
https://www.youtube.com/user/CdnDownSyndrome/videos

The Canadian Down Syndrome Society's website:
https://cdss.ca/

A beautiful documentary on YouTube called My Extra Chromosome and Me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zCoEa5WRBs

Oliver Hellowell

Oliver Hellowell is a 22 year old photographer, to me he in himself is an inspiration. He is a wonderful young man who has Down Syndrome and through watching his stepfather Mike O'Carroll take photographs he too learned various skills of photography and he himself is now a photographer.

Oliver developed a love for the great outdoors and a love for the many types of wildlife that live in it. On his page his mum wrote, "When environments or individuals have failed Oliver we have surrounded him with belief, encouragement and optimism. Patience, guidance and targeted tuition enabled Oliver to utilise the world of photography as both a tool for him to record the world in the way he sees it and as something which beings him a great sense of achievement, pride and self esteem."

Meet Oliver and read his life story: https://www.oliverhellowell.com/meet_oliver.php

His Website: https://www.oliverhellowell.com/

An article where Oliver talks about his photography: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/magazine-29107894/photographer-with-down-s-syndrome-sees-the-world-differently

Meet Oliver and his mum YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lye99vCtKq0&app=desktop

Oliver Hellowell

Some of his work