Photographer on mission to challenge myths about Britain’s Travellers is shortlisted for top award

Sam Wright's shortlisted photograph shows five young girls at the Appleby Fair in Cumbria - Sam Wright

They are one of Britain’s oldest and, in the view of those who know them well, most “misunderstood” minority communities.

But a photographer hopes his work will finally show Britain’s Travellers and Romany people in a more sympathetic light, dispelling the damaging myths and negative ideas that have grown up around the community.

Sam Wright’s ambition may be about to be fulfilled, as his work has been shortlisted for the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Humanity prize, one of the country’s most prestigious photographic awards.

Mr Wright’s selected photograph, titled Family at the Fair, Cumbria, UK, shows five young girls posing on the steps and porch of their traditional caravan.

‘Passion and resilience’

He told the judges in his submission: “Misrepresentation by the media has been damaging to these communities. I sought to counter this with an honest portrayal, challenging misconceptions and showcasing their passion and resilience.

“As mounting challenges threaten the Traveller and Gypsy communities, I believe it is time for a positive change in attitudes, and I hope this project contributes to that shift.”

Mr Wright spent two years with travelling families, attending numerous fairs and traditional gatherings across the country, including the Appleby Fair in Cumbria, which dates back to the 1600s.

“My experience was in stark contrast to the stereotype, and from that moment, I knew this was a story that needed to be told, and I wanted to invest the time to do it,” he said.

Mr Wright added that what began as a fact-finding mission evolved into a cultural exchange with a group pushed to the fringes of society.

When he told friends and colleagues of his project, he was met with what he said was a barrage of stereotypical responses.

Assignment became personal

“People would advise me not to go,” he said. “They told me there would be trouble. ‘Don’t take expensive equipment!’ I quickly saw the prejudice facing the Traveller community before I even arrived.”

The assignment became personal for the Sheffield-born photographer after he discovered his great-grandmother had been part of the community.

“I wanted to understand this aspect of my family heritage,” Mr Wright told the writer Gem Fletcher.

“My uncle has shared some information, but her background isn’t discussed within the family. She lived on the road until she married a farmer and was forced to denounce her connection to that world. It’s a sensitive subject, but I felt I needed to delve into it to know her better.

Other shortlist contenders

Also shortlisted for the Portrait of Humanity Award is a powerful portrait of an Indian woman blinded in an acid attack, taken by Erberto Zani.

Mr Zani said the woman, called Anumukherjee, had undergone 22 operations after being attacked by a female friend jealous of her beauty. The attacker was jailed for 10 years and has since been released.

Another work shortlisted is Shane Coughlan’s portrait of an old man, taken on a street corner in Dublin.

In his submission, Mr Coughlan said: “I turned the corner on to a row of old cottages to see Patrick returning home from the shops. He has lived on the street with his brother and sister for 80 years. In his suit, shirt and tie, Pioneer and Holy Cross medals, he defines the old-world respect and dignity of a gentleman from Dublin’s north inner city.”

The British Journal of Photography describes its Portrait of Humanity Award as “a call for unity and an urgent reminder of the shared fight against humanity’s biggest challenges: to protect the environment, choice over our own bodies, and the right to be and love whomever we want”.

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