Ealing Soup Kitchen

I've been working with Ealing Soup Kitchen since New Years Eve of 2019 shooting portraits of their clients and volunteers. I wanted to avoid the usual cliches of gritty black and white portraits, and the signs and signifiers of helplessness and lack of personal power. I used a backdrop more often seen gracing the covers of publications like Esquire and The Sunday Times, and lit the subjects in a similar style. I hope by doing so I've brought a positivity and engagement that is sometimes lacking in 'homeless' photography. 

The Ealing Soup kitchen has been serving clients for many years - from people who need an occasional helping hand, to those that live on the streets and need not only food, but a friendly ear and practical advice such as counselling, benefits advice and hair cuts.