Young and strong

Carolyn’s profound and moving project ‘Being Inbetween’ focuses quite literally on that often difficult ‘in between’ ages of 10-12 – a time when you’re not quite yet a teenager or an adult, but you’re also rapidly leaving your childhood behind, and beginning to face the struggles that come with that growing up process.

‘Being Inbetween’ first caught my attention in 2016 when an image (Alice, aged 10 – see below right) from the series won a gold medal in the Royal Photographic Society’s International Photography Exhibition (IPE 159). The same portrait was also selected for the 2017 Portrait of Britain prize, and was one of those displayed on billboards nationwide – you may have even seen it yourself.

So when I found out that Carolyn would be attending the inaugural Photo North festival at the tail end of 2018, I made it my mission to meet her, and it’s almost five months later when I come to write up our interview. I was recently reminded of that portrait of Alice, having seen it enlarged for the RPS display at The Photography Show in March.

Listening back to our chat, I’m instantly reminded of Carolyn’s warmth and enthusiasm for