Cameras ready to focus on London from a different perspective
- Paul Ryan
- Apr 29
- 2 min read
MYLONDON, the annual photography contest for people with lived experience of homelessness, will be happening again from Friday!
The cameras are Fujifilm 35-mm single-use film cameras.
As with every year since we started handing out the cameras at St Paul's Cathedral, we will be helped by volunteers, including from The RPS, who run the weekly photography mentoring group. Several of the group's participants, who have been participants in MYLONDON, will also be helping as volunteers. (see last year's contest featured on Unseen City, a 9-minute short film here)
MYWORLD CEO Paul Ryan says that MYLONDON has evolved over the years. "The focus has always been on engaging people who are or have been homeless with photography. That helps them to connect with the wider community while learning skills" adding that every year they have had to teach more about the actual film camera and how film works. "Most people take photos on their phones and so know digital photography but film is different, due to restrictions on lighting. It's actually a bonus to have a limit on the number of photos (there are 27 on each camera) as people can't see what they have taken. People have to slow down and plan their photos and be patient. Participants have said that focusing on the project help them forget their worries and focus on positive things."
Since the launch of MYLONDON in 2013 it has helped inspire projects in many cities across the globe. This year Glasgow will be taking part for the first time, with The Simon Community handing out 50 cameras with MYWORLD in late May. One of the photographers from the project, who is a photographer and MYLONDON calendar vendor, will be going up to Glasgow to speak to the Scottish participants.
The project has been able to support participants by selling the MYLONDON calendars and greetings cards with an annual payout to them of more than £30,000.
See previous MYLONDON photos here:
This initiative is incredibly motivating—there's a profound impact in empowering individuals with the ability to creatively express themselves, particularly through the deliberate medium of film photography. I've been exploring subjects like community involvement and social impact for a university project (currently seeking some management assignment help to stay on course), and MYLONDON seems like an ideal real-life example of how significant projects can foster both personal development and broader social connections. I'm excited to see the photos from this year's event!