The narrative of this trio of images is based around my interview with Rosemary Baird, we dis- cussed the old treatment and taboo surrounding mental health and the idea of it being down to lack of “maturity” and the term “you need to grow up” was used as a response to someone suffering with mental health issues. I took these images with Rosemary in her home, with the mental health books she was given in the 1960s. Using natural light, shutter speed of 35 I feel these im- ages show a dark and raw reality of mental health. Showing this in a elderly person makes a great impact as many people around the ages of 76-89 suffer from isolation, depression and multiple other mental health issues. I start with a portrait image highlighting the lines on the models face and her gaze captivates the viewer. I use a docu- mentary photography style to share a story and narrative of how this model dealt with her severe depression and nervous breakdown during the 1960s, she was told she needed to mature and write down how she could “grow up” and evolve as a person. I feel these images are very touching and moving due to the colour tones, expression and narrative.
