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Disposable perspectives: UCL student's photo project helps refugees tell their stories their way

9 June 2017

How often do refugees get to tell their own stories? While volunteering at a northern Paris refugee camp last year, UCL medical student Amy Lineham felt frustrated with the way in which journalists were photographing camp residents.

Disposable perspectives: UCL student’s photo project helps refugees tell their stories their way

"Journalists would come in and take photos as if they were at the zoo or something, it was really detached and they were treating people they had taken pictures of as stories rather than individuals," explains Amy.

To help refugees share their own stories with the world, Amy handed out disposable cameras to 15 men at Porte de la Chapelle camp.

"I didn't think anything would come of it at the time. I had an instruction sheet explaining the idea that these cameras are for you to give your own perspective on your situation, take photos of whatever you like and bring them back within five days," Amy says.

Individuality shines through

The camera instructions translated into many languages were also accompanied by two blank postcards for the men to share their thoughts.

"Eight cameras and five postcards came back which was more than I was expecting, and those that didn't bring them back said they were so sorry-it got taken by the police or got lost but it was clear people really wanted to be a part of it.

"One of the things I'm most pleased about is how each participant's individuality shines through. A few people have taken lots of pictures of themselves and their friends, sweet collections just like boys on holiday, one guy has gone out of his way to take very beautiful shots of Paris and others have experimented artistically with the camera focus," says Amy.

In addition to the men's photos, their postcards provide important insights. One card reads, 'Guys, asylum seekers not animals, asylum seekers are people!'

Harmful stereotypes

This week, Amy's project Disposable Perspectives has been on exhibition at The HIVE in Dalston and received a positive response from the public.

"Many have said the photos are a positive way to help break down harmful stereotypes, particularly in the current culture of anxiety and fear.

"I think there's a lot more practical empathy with the idea that they are not that different from you as an onlooker in a way that mainstream media reporting on the refugee crisis are missing by homogenising them as a group defined by the fact they are refugees," explains Amy.

Amy believes her background as a medical student influenced how she approached the project.

"It's important that this wasn't for me to artistically interpret in anyway, I was very aware of this from having done scientific studies where you completely eliminate yourself and your bias so as not to affect results. It's very much meant to be just the photos they took without any filtering," notes Amy.

Amy hopes that the Disposable Perspectives project will continue to evolve and is currently looking to expand the model to other camps.

You can find out more about Disposable Perspectives on Facebook or WordPress.

Amy Holmes, UCL Communications and Marketing