Alys Tomlinson is a British photographer and anthropologist, who lives and works in London. From June to August 2020, Tomlinson photographed 44 young people whose proms and end of year celebrations had been cancelled due to Covid-19. Instead of being in the usual settings of school halls or hotel function rooms, she captured them all dressed up in their gardens, backyards and local parks.
The portraits illustrate the poignancy of a lost summer for teenagers who were unable to mark this significant step in growing up and leaving school. There is a quietness to the images and a merging of the inner and outer worlds, the psychological and physical. The images represent a loss and longing, but also celebrate each teenager as an individual, navigating this uncertain and challenging time.
Lost Summer book (self-published, 2020) is available for purchase here.
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