The First Day

The First Day photo book and exhibition looks at 30 primary age school starters and their clothing, dressed for their first day at school in Sheffield, UK. Recognising that taking and sharing first day of school photographs has become customary social practice to many parents/ carers, I wished to create a less fleeting record of this social phenomenon, whilst recognising this as emblematic of the first formal step into social conditioning. As they playfully hide behind toys, play school kid 'dress up' and swing from door handles, the parents and carers have to allow them to slip down the apron strings. As a parent to one of these children, I realised this photographic activity forms a major milestone - perhaps more for the adults than the children.