Thamesmead Places & Faces

During the past year the Trust has been working with students from Woolwich Polytechnic on a photography project called Thamesmead Places and Faces.

The project involved four post-16 students working with local freelance photographer Paul Sanders to study the basics of photo composition and to produce a portfolio of images depicting Thamesmead through their eyes.

The students, Amrit Kaur, Charlie Beattie, Connor Isaacs, George Coward and Joe Perkins, used the most basic of equipment; disposable cameras with fixed lenses to produce some quite outstanding results.

The best of the images, of which there were many, have been incorporated into a short film backed by music chosen by the students; ‘I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire' by 1940s band The Ink Spots.

Paul said: “By commissioning this photography project Trust Thamesmead and Woolwich Poly have given these inspirational young people a springboard to further enhance their future careers. The confidence shown is reflected in the quality of their photography work.

“It has been a privilege tutoring these future professionals and I am sure they will all make a positive mark on this world”.

At the conclusion of the project one of the students, Charlie Beattie, talked about the project and the impact it has made on his life.

“Before I did this course, I was lacking in confidence. I always held back in expressing my views and opinions on things. Taking pictures allowed me to express myself in picture form; I found this a lot less scary to do because the focus was on the picture and not on me. In fact I have always been lacking in confidence ever since I was a small child. However, as the course continued, I discovered that I became more confident in expressing myself.

“Indeed, everyone that I had worked with on the course was really supportive and friendly towards me. This gave me an extra boost in confidence.  The medium of photography built my self-belief. I was praised and my work was acknowledged as being of a high standard.  I was now convinced that that my dream of being a director could be realised. 

“My school, my old and new friends (who I met on the course), Paul and Trust Thamesmead all had a part to play in helping me become, first of all a photographer,  but also a confident young adult - who no longer fears the sting of other people's judgements!

“My advice to other young people would be that even though you feel you may be judged on what you do and what you say, making simple mistakes isn't always a bad thing.  Use it as a spring board to get even closer to your goals.  Surround yourself with positive people who will support you in all that you do."