Cardiff photographer challenges first impressions with new project

Nation.Cymru Staff

After spending years photographing strangers on the streets of Wales, a Cardiff photographer is taking his work in a more personal direction.

Tom Wilkins, who posts under tomwilkinsphotography across social media, is best known for capturing spontaneous photographs of people on the streets of Cardiff and across the UK.

The documentary photographer, who is drawn to “working-class communities and subcultures”, recently took to social media to announce a new chapter for his work.

Tom explained: “For the past year, I’ve become known for photographing cool looking people on the street. I’ve really enjoyed this. I love going up to people and telling people they look cool, they look cool as fuck. It’s absolutely insane.

“Over time though, I’ve realised I want to go deeper. I want to understand more about the people that I speak to. From now on, Stranger Portraits is going to be known as Faces of Britain.

“It’s going to be a project that explores the people behind the first impressions that we make on the street. I’m going to be asking one question. Tell me something about yourself that people wouldn’t know just by looking at you. Because people are always more than we assume they are.”

He added: “I believe we make too many assumptions about one another. Every day we judge people based on appearance, lifestyle, identity and the first impression we create in our minds before ever hearing their story.

“Through photography, film and honest conversation, I want to encourage curiosity over judgement because understanding begins when we stop assuming and start listening.”

 

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A post shared by Tom Wilkins | Documentary Photographer (@tomwilkinsphotography)

Faces of Britain follows on from Tom’s previous documentary work, which has often focused on challenging assumptions about marginalised groups and overlooked communities.

His Look Again project has spotlighted “misunderstood cultures”, with chapter one focusing on skinheads, exploring the origins of the movement in multiculturalism and social responsibility.

Tom recently released Look Again: Chapter 2 – Homelessness, a Cardiff-based documentary project exploring the experiences of people living without secure housing.

Through portraits and conversations, he aimed to remind viewers that homelessness is something a person experiences, not who they are.

He also set up a fundraiser for the community which raised £362 of its £500 goal within 24 hours, leaving Tom “genuinely blown away by the support”.

Tom’s followers welcomed the shift from quick-fire street portraits to a more in-depth exploration of the people behind them, hoping it can encourage more social good.

“Love this! Can help with raising awareness for disabilities we don’t know about also, which would help many more people than you know…” a commenter said.

Others shared their support for what would be “a fabulous record of this time” and is “so timely and needed right now”.

For more of Tom’s work, follow his Instagram and Facebook, and visit his site here. Tom also hosts monthly community walks in Cardiff for new and experienced photographers to come together and capture the city.