Watch

Using Portraiture to Highlight Immigrant Stories in the UK

Creator:
Published:
January 8, 2024
January 20, 2020
This London photographer lifts up immigration stories by capturing them on film.|This London photographer lifts up immigration stories by capturing them on film.

Arteh Odjidja is a photographer in London. His project 'Stranger Series' highlights stories of young migrants and refugees in the UK.

"The goal is to celebrate them and their journey, but also their future," he shares.

Video Transcript

Meet Arteh: Portrait Photographer

Arteh Odjidja: Hey Rakiba.

Rakiba: Hi.

Arteh: How are you?

Rakiba: Fine, and you?

Arteh: I'm really, really good.

Portraiture is a wonderful tool to really give people back the power to represent themselves in their best light and the way that they maybe want to be perceived to the world.

Arteh’s project, “Stranger Series,” highlights stories of young migrants and refugees.

(Speaking on the phone) Yeah, great. Okay, Rakiba, that's wonderful. Thank you for your time.

The process of working with these young people for the project really is about getting to know them. I really enjoy just taking time to either give them a phone call, meet them in person, learn about their story a bit more. And what I end up doing is finding locations in cities that really speak to their aspirations. The goal is to really celebrate them and their journey, but also their future.

London

(Speaking with Rakiba about her portrait) And what I want the portrait to do is I want you to be your most confident. So we'll take a few shots and what will happen is, we'll be like, "Oh no, the face isn't right here, or the arms aren't right, whatever.”

Rakiba: Yeah.

Arteh: And then we'll do a review, and then we'll just keep going.

When I found out her story of coming from Syria to live in the UK and how they've lost so much at home — she's very much a hero in terms of how she's picked herself up, learned English, and just decided to have a better life for herself, and worked really hard to get it.

(Speaking to Rakiba) I love that focus in your eye.

She really wants to be a teacher — and more specifically, a science teacher. So South Kensington around science museum and places like that, I think really spoke to her aspiration.

(Looking at photos with Rakiba) I like that one as well.

Portraits are such a natural way to basically be in someone's life for a few minutes and really learn so much about them. The issue that I find with the way we represent people from migrant refugee backgrounds is the way we talk about them. We don't talk about the individual. We talk about this big number, this mass. I think that's key for the public. They don't understand that there are these individual stories, these aspirational elements to each and every person.

(Snapshots of finished portraits of Rakiba)

(Speaking to Rakiba) So what you could do, you could actually look past me. So when I say look past me, almost look above my head almost. There you go, like this. And I also want you to stand like you're proud of who you are.

Creators:
Grotto
Published:
January 8, 2024
January 20, 2020
On a related note...
Why My Workout Motivation Shifted to Mental Health

Why My Workout Motivation Shifted to Mental Health

Maria Walley

Capturing Beauty Along American Highways

Capturing Beauty Along American Highways

Grotto

Finding Forever Homes for Stray Dogs

Finding Forever Homes for Stray Dogs

Grotto

This Music Teacher Is Changing Lives of At-Risk Youth

This Music Teacher Is Changing Lives of At-Risk Youth

Danielle Thomson

Podcast S1 | Ep.5: Finding Friendship

Podcast S1 | Ep.5: Finding Friendship

Grotto

"The Attendants"

"The Attendants"

Barbara Lisette

How I’m Rethinking the Ease of Disposable Items

How I’m Rethinking the Ease of Disposable Items

Clare Rahner

How We Can Cultivate Communion in Solitude

How We Can Cultivate Communion in Solitude

Christian Santa Maria

Finding Comfort in This Medieval Woman’s Words

Finding Comfort in This Medieval Woman’s Words

Mary Frances Myler

Jesus’ Favorite Podcast EP 3: Getting a Haircut with Kenny Williams

Jesus’ Favorite Podcast EP 3: Getting a Haircut with Kenny Williams

Grotto, Ebony Moxey, Javi Zubizarreta

Being Vegan Doesn't Look the Same for Everyone

Being Vegan Doesn't Look the Same for Everyone

Grotto

How the 'Minneapolis Miracle' Helped Me in Grieving

How the 'Minneapolis Miracle' Helped Me in Grieving

Isaac Huss

Creating A Community Center to Help Raise Leaders

Creating A Community Center to Help Raise Leaders

Grotto

3 Saints to Turn to During the Pandemic

3 Saints to Turn to During the Pandemic

Ken Hallenius

How Thea Bowman Set an Example for a Divided World

How Thea Bowman Set an Example for a Divided World

Shannon Evans

Meet the Woman Helping the Catholic Church Care for Creation

Meet the Woman Helping the Catholic Church Care for Creation

Grotto

How I'm Holding on to Faith During the Sex Abuse Crisis

How I'm Holding on to Faith During the Sex Abuse Crisis

Megan Brown Czerwinski

"Prayer at Winter Solstice"

"Prayer at Winter Solstice"

Dana Gioia

Transforming a Food Desert into a Food Forest

Transforming a Food Desert into a Food Forest

Grotto

Using Art and Science to Restore Coral Reef Habitats

Using Art and Science to Restore Coral Reef Habitats

Grotto

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.