Photos showing 'beauty in people's differences'
SuppliedA photographer hopes her first solo exhibition will help people see the beauty in others' differences.
Debbie Todd, from Stanley, County Durham, is presenting portraits of people "often misunderstood or excluded from mainstream media" at Bishop Auckland Town Hall until 16 May.
The 45-year-old said she hoped her work would encourage people to learn more about others and not judge them "purely by how they look or how they act".
"I feel like there's so many people in the world who are not represented and that people kind of don't know enough and understand enough so then don't feel like they're as inclusive as they could be," she said.
"The more you know about someone or something the more you understand it and the more you accept it."
SuppliedTodd started her degree at The Northern School of Art at the age of 38, graduating in 2022.
She was shortlisted for the most recent British Journal of Photography's Portrait of Britain Awards, with her image Jimmy sat on a gate at Appleby Horse Fair appearing in Portrait of Britain, Volume 8.
Todd, who works in the care sector, said having her own exhibition felt "surreal".
"I've always been interested in art but I'm from a working class background so I never had the opportunity when I was younger," she said.
"It's a bit surreal because I'm a grown woman now and to have this opportunity at this age is really cool because it's something I never thought I would do."
SuppliedThe exhibition was specially commissioned for the venue and consists of two bodies of work.
The Meaning of Being Different explores identity, difference and belonging and Extra Ordinary highlights themes of disability, visibility and inclusion.
The photos are titled after different idioms, such as Lose Your Marbles, which explores bipolar disorder, and Keep Your Nose Clean, which looks at autoimmune disease.
Todd said the work aimed to delve into preconceptions and stereotypes.
"I looked at sayings that we use all the time, things like 'keep your hair on' and 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' and I just thought how can I use those to get the message across that they don't apply to everybody or they do apply to people," Todd said.
"I hope that people see the beauty in other people's differences and not judge them purely by how they look or how they act and actually get to find out a little bit about their story."
