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DADS is a journey into what gay fatherhood in America looks like. Initially wanting to meet and connect with other gay dads whose families reflected his own, Bart Heynen's new photobook DADS has become one of the most celebratory, moving and authentic representations of modern gay fatherhood I have ever seen in any medium. With over 40 families present within the work, Heynen has produced a series which not only reflects the diversity of the gay community, but beautifully shows us the day to day lives of gay fathers in the United States of America. 

Gay men adopting children as well as having biological children of their own, has been a divisive issue in western societies. The conservative / religious  fear that without a balanced gender to raise children, it would go against God's wishes and break down the American family unit. Of course, a wrong, pathetic and unpleasant rhetoric that queer men and women have been courageously combatting over the years. But things have and are changing with how the world views families and DADS is a beautiful product of the loving and caring families that exist where the parents are of the same gender. This series feels not only incredibly important but also necessary. With Heynens himself being gay and a father, we are entering not only the lives of the people we meet within this series but a part of Heynens life as well, reflected in the intimate moments found within this poignant series.

The photo book opens with a quote by Heynen’s son Ethan;

"What do you want to be later, Noah: papa or a daddy?"

- Ethan Aged seven, to his brother-

This immediately produces a large frog in my throat as I feel the love, weight and importance of other children with gay parents seeing other families like their own. As a father, Heynen knew this and took his children along with him to meet the families he was photographing, friendships were made with both children and the fathers which shows that this project is not just about showing the lives of gay fathers, but allowing his own children to experience that the life they have with papa and daddy is completely normal despite often being surrounded by children with both a mother and father. 

Heynen found after spending time with the first few families, was how the division of labour between the fathers was. Breaking away from hetronormative constructed gender roles within a family unit, Heynen describes how the balance or roles and responsibility came to the fathers 'organically’, which is a testament to how modern families like the ones found within DADS can teach more traditional families about how children can be raised without falling back upon specific gender roles. 

What is so incredibly powerful about DADS is how no story is the same in how each couple became fathers. Some adopted their siblings' kids due to them sadly passing away, some adopted, others had surrogate mothers. Heynen doesn't shy away from the important and vital role surrogates have in the children's lives from not only carrying them for their fathers, but being present within their lives once they are born. Heynen shows this unique bond between parents, children and the surrogate in a poignant and delicate way. 

How Heynen has chosen to photograph each family sways between posed portraits of families to the moments you can’t choreograph, creates the  characteristics of a traditional family album whilst turning it on its head through its composition, colour and energy. One image in particular which I found so joyous, is of a father getting ready in the mirror with his son as they both adorn Freddie Mercury outfits, with the dad carefully tidying up his sons painted on Freddie moustache. What is so joyous to see within DADS is the pride that is clearly written across the fathers faces, they show so much love and compassion for their roles of being a father to their gorgeous children. 

Predominantly DADS is about families, regardless of your own sexual orientation. We find gay fathers at different stages of their lives and ages, from gay fathers with newborn babies to fathers with adult children who are soon to wed. DADS is about families, but it's also about life, wherever you may be along the line. DADS oozes love like maple syrup, trickling across each page onto the readers hands and eventually, into their heart and mind. My view might be slightly biased as a gay man myself, and the idea of having kids has always felt like an impossible task and an uncertainty within my own future. But seeing other gay men as fathers within this book has made that dream of my own future fatherhood that more of a reality. This series deserves all the praise and celebration it receives. 

DADS is published by PowerHouse Books and you can get your copy HERE.

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The family unit in 2021 takes many forms, from the family we are born and raised into, to the ones we seek out. This is never more prominent than in the LGBT+ community where queer youth forge the friendships and families they needed in formative years. This search for acceptance and love where it may have previously been vacant is a powerful one and in Peyton Fulford's ongoing series Infinite Tenderness. The portrait series documents ways in which intimacy, community and support help individuals find their own identity. Wanting to create a safe space in which LGBT+ youth can support one another, Fulford's work explores this unique balance of the individual and a found community / family unit. 

The people we meet within this series look both vulnerable in their openness to Fulford and their camera as well as being stoic, proud portraits of a queer youth living in America. The recent history of queer youth in America has been a troubling one and queer youth today are still faced with intolerence, violence from both outside and inside their family units. Figures from The Trevor Project are alarming, with suicide in LGBT youth from the ages 10-24 to be three times more likely than their heterosexual counterparts and most recently, the story of 12 year old Riley Hadley from the UK who took his own life due to continuous homophobic bullying shocked the LGBT+ community around the world. When we see depictions of the queer community in mainstream media, the sense is always a strong, connective unit. Protecting one another, fully aware of how the outside world to the community can be when it isolates individuals away from the supportive and accepting unit of like minded communities. With this in mind, the  empowerment which Fulford is creating within Infinite Tenderness for the queer youth community shows how the artist becomes not only a witness, but a participent in the lives and experiences of her subjects. 

With the rural America as the series backdrop in which these individuals live and with Fulford coming from a strictly religious background and queer herself, the layers that can be found within these portraits are what make them a beautiful example of how to create portraits in collaboration with a subject. In the project, Fulford discusses how navigating the world around her whilst she didn’t feel fully a part of heteronormative lifestyle to be a complex and challenging one and brings this level of past experience to this body of work. There is a clear bond and understanding between photographer and subject, a trust and respect for both of their lived experiences to create emotive portraits that go far beyond LGBT+ youth and taps into the acceptance we all look and long for at times. 

Fulford within these portraits carefully navigates individual stories and the strength of a community through a combination of both the group and single portrait. There is power that can be found in each of these portraits, regardless of how many people inhabit the frame. By being part of this community themselves, the work feels as both a portrait series sharing the lives of others but also Fulfords own experiences growing up queer in America. This relatability and connection is what makes this series exactly what the title says, tender. The tenderness which this approach offers up allows the work to not feel as documenting the other, this is Fulfords tribe, people she feels a connection to, and it shows. Far too often throughout the history of photography, communities (a term coined by white hetrosexuals) are depicted heavily on their differences as humans, rather than showcasing our shared humanity, hopes, dreams and aspirations. Fulford breaks this glass ceiling of a trend by oozing every inch within the frame with warmth, love and understanding. 

Growing up queer we dont grow up as an authentic version of ourselves and produce a product that is deemed acceptable by external pressures and prejudices. There is a level of authenticity that is lost and has to be searched for and reclaimed as young queer people. As young adults growing into adulthood, we are tasked with going on journeys of self discovery which our hetrosexual counterparts in large have already experienced. This to me, has always felt like the queer community is forced to hold back itself in early formative years to ensure we are protected from external hatred. This is why this series is so deeply personal for each individual and handled with such honesty and care by Fulford, which in turn creates a safe space for self expression and an authenticity regarding LGBTQIA+ stories which is often hard to find within photography. 

You can discover the rest of the series by Fulford here.

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How do you best represent climate change within photography? Well, our friends at Climate Visuals have been answering that question by showcasing the very real impacts of the climate crisis as well as those who are helping to combat the disaster through the work of incredible photographers.

But now, with one of their biggest open calls ever, Climate Visuals want to hear from more photographers from around the world. Partnering with TED Countdown, Climate Visuals has a fund of $100,000 to license pre existing images that explore the many threads of climate change. The categories in which they are looking for visual responses for are Energy, Transport, Material, Food and Nature.

See the full brief below and how to submit your photography with the chance to get paid and help effectively communicate the impacts of the climate crisis.

Brief

The visual narratives in circulation must move from illustrating climate causes and impacts to climate justice, solutions and positive change. The online submission and licensing process will consider a broad range of diversity, equity and inclusion factors to ensure that the opportunity is global, accessible, fair, representative, illustrative and impactful. The goal is to provide both a platform, voice and visual tools to people and communities not yet represented in the mainstream climate change narrative.  

The photographic and wider creative sector has been significantly impacted by Covid-19. Selected photographers will be both fairly remunerated and have the opportunity to be profiled, exhibit their work virtually and physically at Countdown events and COP26 in Glasgow, and featured in a global media campaign.  This will be a deliberately inclusive space for photographers who may lack the opportunity to showcase their work and ideas in such a global project with a meaningful route to impact. 

‘Visualizing Climate Change: An Open Call for Photography’ aims to ultimately support climate change photographers, educators, communicators and campaigners by the creation of a new free-to-access collection of the world’s most impactful photography.

Deadline is 30th June 20201 and to find out more and submit your photography, click here

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Since 2017, South African photographer Alice Mann has been documenting the unique culture of all female drum majorettes. Also known as ‘Drummies’, these aspirational teams break boundaries and carve out a unique identity and culture for themselves. Mann’s reason for involving herself in this community was to help promote positive representations of young women in South African society through a nuanced and unapologetic portrait series. With hours of time and dedication needed, the girls are expected to perform in front of crowds to the highest standard.

The team structure provides a supportive  and safe space for them to excel. Something that resonates with Mann as she is more than aware of the limited opportunities that face women in South Africa. The sport reinforces attributes of empowerment for the women, something that became infectious for Mann and is found within the portraits as she documents them as both strong and stoic individuals but also the act of play and team spirit can be found.

Drummies is a much celebrated body of work, putting Mann on the map for many as not just an up and coming photographer but an artist with a clear style, approach and palette which defines her as one of the most exciting photographers of her generation. 

Now wanting to make something physical, Mann is launching a kickstarter campaign to realise Drummies as a photobook. Working with publisher GOST and accompanied with an essay by esteemed writer and curator Christine Eyene, the photobook aims to be a strong testament to the schools and young women she has collaborated with over the past 3 years.

Help support and back this project by clicking here.