Sally Mitchell is a creative and commercial photographer based in Cornwall. She is regularly commissioned by local businesses to take photographs for various platforms, from social media to large displays in Truro. Cornwall Council recently commissioned a series of portraits of business leaders in Cornwall to be used in a campaign across London to encourage people to invest in Cornwall.
What I am most drawn to, however, is the personal section of Sally's website, where she showcases her own unique projects. Her current work is called "Lockdown" where she documents the community spirit she sees in her village. With social distancing in mind, people are coming together to support their vulnerable neighbours.
This is a working documentary of portraits taken in the Cornish fishing village of Mevagissey in Cornwall during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mevagissey has an incredibly tight-knit community and has come together to help each other at this difficult time with an amazing volunteer network that’s constantly busy, delivering hot meals, prescriptions and groceries to those unable to go out. Photos will be added to this page as the project grows. It will include images of those volunteering to help the elderly and vulnerable, people staying at home and of the people who are able to continue to work serving the local community. All photos are taken whilst adhering to social distancing guidelines.
Some of Sally's portraits are stylised in order to capture the character of the subject. She takes these photos with only the available lighting, giving a raw, honest quality to her images. Conversely, other images are taken with a more candid approach, where the aim isn't to communicate the subject's personality, but rather the events unfolding around them. With the warm colours of the room contrasting with the blue masks and gloves, this image is more of a commentary on the pandemic and social distancing. Bringing these elements into a home highlights just how real this situation is, and how close to home it may hit.
Sally has also captured images of her neighbours clapping for the NHS. The joy on people's faces brings to light the admiration we have for our key workers, and shows how we can come together to celebrate, even while staying at home.
These portraits illustrate the fact that the lockdown is affecting all of us - whether we are young or old, whether we live alone or with our families. I am particularly drawn to the image of Daisy receiving her Meva Mobile Meals package - she is clearly touched by the selflessness of the volunteers who deliver meals to the vulnerable.
Sally's record of the lockdown in her village has encouraged me to shoot images of the people around me. While my community is not as close-knit as Mevagissey, I will endeavour to capture images of what social distancing looks like near me. This could include photos taken while shopping or neighbours in their gardens, if they are willing to participate.
I am also inspired by her images of people applauding the NHS. This is something I would like to explore - perhaps by bringing together images or footage of people honouring key workers and combining them into a collection or a video. Some of the stories I have received so far are quite heartbreaking, so including a section dedicated to joy and veneration will help round out my project.
References
http://www.sallymitchellphotography.com/lockdown - accessed 11/04/2020
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