Sophie Mayanne encourages empathy, recognition and validation through an inclusive photography practice

Fashion and portrait photographer Sophie Mayanne has been opening up important conversations around inclusivity and body positivity in her work thus far. It’s a topic particularly celebrated in her largest and most widely recognised ongoing project Behind The Scars, a project we were lucky enough to hear about in detail in Sophie’s recent Nicer Tuesdays talk. Dialling in from the Cotswolds, Sophie discussed her people-centred practice, one that encourages empathy, recognition and validation.

Proving that she can indeed work somewhere between fashion and documentary (something she was previously told was impossible), Sophie offered up a whistle-stop tour of the project to date. The portraits touch on people with scars far and wide from all walks of life. Collecting individual stories, in the talk, Sophie revealed how “each person [she] met has taught her a lot about being a photographer.” A highly sensitive and authentic photography series, Sophie went onto discuss other projects which similarly shine a light on the misrepresented and rounded up the talk by considering the future of the advertising industry and how much further it has to go in terms of fair representation.