He's shot everyone from Outkast to Russell Brand, but now celebrated photographer Jude Edginton is refocusing his lens back on his own life, and, possibly, yours... Hattie Collins talks to Jude about his latest project, 'I'm the daddy now!'
Too often the portrayals of young people in mainstream media are limited to the drug-addled, the irresponsible, and, increasingly often, the violent. But persistently tell people that they're all crazed, knife-weilding gangbangers, and eventually that's what they'll become. Teenage dads come in for terrible press too - who could forget the sensationalist coverage based around Alfie Pattern, who last year became a dad at 13.
Someone trying to readjust the balance is celebrated photographer Jude Edginton. The lensman is currently compiling an exhibition of 50 teenage fathers, to be shown next year. Jude, who has shot major marketing campaigns for Adidas, and has photographed the likes of Leona Lewis and Pete Doherty for The Times and Esquire, is looking for dads who became parents as a teenager; whether that's the currently expectant 17 year-old, or the 90 year-old dad who now has a 74 year-old child. Jude, who has already shot three portraits (see the related articles) is hoping to shoot father's from across the UK and Ireland, and will also be asking each person to tell their story. "There's no judgements; I'm just recording the stories that people tell me."
Jude, himself a father at 18, wanted to do a portrait project based on a wide range of men who become parents at a young age. "Seeing how the media treat young people now reminded me of how difficult it was for me as a teenager trying to bring up my daughter," says Jude. "I felt positive about having a child, but the odds were stacked against me, particularly financially." Edginton has managed to balance fatherhood while accomplishing many of his dreams and ambitions. "The point of the exhibition is to demonstrate there's lots of young people out there who are loving parents under difficult circumstance - and that should be celebrated."
If you are, or were, a teenage father and would like to be photographed by Jude for this exhibition, go to
Imthedaddynow.com for more information. To see more of Jude's work and for info about the exhibition, check
Judeedginton.com.
Dads Space sends a huge thanks to Hattie Collins who flew in from
RWD magazine to interview Jude and write up this article.