Northern Ireland

Young photographers invited to enter lockdown competition

Budding young photographers are being invited to enter a competition this summer aimed at getting them to "capture their communities living through an extraordinary time"
Budding young photographers are being invited to enter a competition this summer aimed at getting them to "capture their communities living through an extraordinary time" Budding young photographers are being invited to enter a competition this summer aimed at getting them to "capture their communities living through an extraordinary time"

Budding young photographers are being invited to enter a competition this summer aimed at getting them to "capture their communities living through an extraordinary time".

The 'A Summer Like No Other' photography competition is being run by Headliners, a charity which works to empower vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people to find their voice through journalism.

Through its multi-media journalism programme, young people research and produce stories for publication and broadcast about issues that concern them and campaign for change in their communities.

Headliners has been working with young people in Belfast and Derry during the pandemic in a bid to minimise isolation and help them produce original pieces of journalism.

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So far, the young people involved have produced podcasts, video diaries and articles relating both to how the lock-down has affected them and their communities, and to wider topics.

Now Headliners is launching 'A Summer Like No Other' photography competition, which will be open to young people between the ages of 12 and 25 throughout Northern Ireland.

The competition is being judged by award-winning Irish News photographer Mal McCann and the winner's photo will be published in the Irish News. They will also receive a GoPro camera.

Pádraig Ó Meiscill, journalist and project worker at Headliners, said during the lock-down, the programme has had to "rethink how we connect with young people".

"The photographic competition is another initiative to connect with young people" he said.

"Even though the lock-down is easing a bit we are still not in a normal environment. What we want young people to do, is capture that. The times through which we are living.

"We want to keep it as open as possible. The photo can be of whatever they think best captures that spirit, their family, their friends, their neighbours, the environment in which they are living. Literally anything".

Entries can be sent to Padraig.omeiscill@headliners.org or marie.sauve@headliners.org and the deadline is 11.59pm Friday, July 10.

Further information about Headliners is available at www.headliners.org