Sophie Harris-Taylor pictures new fathers in her newest collection
Photographer Sophie Harris-Taylor's new work is about becoming a father and spending the first few years of fatherhood. The series, titled Present Fathers, was inspired by watching her own partner get used to being a father.
“My partner was pretty lucky to have several months of paternity leave, so we were both very involved from day one. However, sometime after our son was born, I realized that he didn't really know where to go for support or to explore and express this new role he was in, ”explains Harris-Taylor. "I was amazed at the experiences of countless other new fathers that we just don't really hear or see about, at least not compared to new mothers. I think that was the starting point of the project."
Above: Stuart and Poppy. Above: Bola, Jasmine and Ocean. All pictures: Present Fathers by Sophie Harris-Taylor, styled by Natasha Freeman
In previous projects like Milk, which focused on the reality of breastfeeding, the photographer has placed motherhood at the forefront of her work. But similar to Harry Borden's latest book Single father undermines long-held ideas about fatherhood and masculinity, Harris-Taylor wanted to expand the discussion with Present Fathers.
"At a time when we are trying to bridge the gender gap and there are many men taking on more important roles as parents, there seems to be no support or discussion about (fatherhood)," she says. "I recognized the lack of focus on new fathers after the birth of my son and I wanted to see if there is anything fathers can get from talking about their own experiences and hearing from others."
Caspar and Sid
While Harris-Taylor usually uses her own experiences to inform her work, this time the photographer used her partner's experience to guide it. However, she admits that since she has only been an observer of paternity so far, there has been a slight interruption.
"That doesn't mean I didn't like the work, but I didn't have the therapeutic experience that I normally get at work," explains the photographer. "The process was otherwise pretty much the same and the result has a similar aesthetic and texture."
Joe and Eli
John and Esme
The work takes the form of portraitsTogether with interviews with the photographer in which the fathers appeared, they speak honestly about their experiences and the pressure they felt. "Much of the process was pretty organic and spontaneous. I worked with my friend and stylist Natasha Freeman – we had kids at the same time and we talked quite a bit about the lack of support networks for dads out there, ”she says. "We styled them in their own clothes to keep them as" unstyled "as possible."
With the Covid restrictions at the time, Harris-Taylor connected with local fathers, either through friends or through Instagram castings. All of them were captured from the comfort of their own home, which, in the photographer's opinion, gave their actions and appearances an authenticity. "I also think the kids there brought their guards down a bit," she says.
Harri and Nara
Matt and Rowan
Harris-Taylor's photography often shows the boundary between staging and documentation. This series was about finding that balance and making everyday life a little more beautiful. “I worked within the confines of their own homes, trying to find the pockets of the room that the light fell into, and dramatizing an often mundane space,” she explains. "Working with babies and toddlers means the time is pretty short. I had to work fast and definitely couldn't control everything I wanted!" I think this gives the show some kind of heightened reality, it's both truthful and hopefully still beautiful. "
Despite the regular challenges of working within constraints, one of the main obstacles was making sure their subjects were comfortable enough to get involved. "For the most part, the men have really opened up and shared their experiences, but I found it difficult for some to possibly have been raised not to express themselves that way," explains Harris-Taylor. "I imagine the answers would be very different for my father's generation and also for my son's."
Finn and Genne
The featured fathers had the opportunity to pause and reflect on themselves in ways they may not have done before, with the interview element adding a deeper layer to the images. "For some, I think talking about it confirmed their experience," adds Harris-Taylor. "A recurring theme for many has been a new understanding and reassessment of their own upbringing and the actions of their own parents."
For Harris-Taylor, it was possible for her to learn about parenting and the responsibilities that come with it from a different perspective. "The pictures are nothing that we haven't seen before, but I think the accompanying texts show openness and honesty towards fatherhood," she says. "For other newer fathers (or even older ones), I hope this encourages them to share their experiences as well and give those around them better insight."
Nathaniel and Nova
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