Content warning: This article covers issues including sexual abuse, depression, addiction and violence against marginalized communities.
“There has been a stigma around Black men and mental health and we have to break it by being open about our experiences,” says Benji Reid, a Manchester, United Kingdom-based photographer living with depression and post traumatic stress disorder.
Reid captured a powerful shot of himself as an astronaut, tethered to his daughter while she sat playing on her phone, to convey the strength of their father-daughter relationship and how she is a pillar of stability and comfort.
Both of them are engaged in acts of escapism – she through her phone, and he as a “broken astronaut” floating up into the air. He’s tethered to her, and the simple, comforting fact of her presence keeps him in the real world.
After a particularly difficult period for his mental health, Reid said he created this image as a “love note” to his daughter for being there in his time of need. It’s also a visual representation of how supportive relationships can be lifesaving.
Benji Reid / benjireid.com
“I wanted to play with the reversal of roles in the family, as a child nonchalantly plays on her phone but provides stability and comfort in the face of turbulence and precariousness,” says Reid, of the shot which has been shortlisted for the Wellcome Photography Prize 2020.
The prize aims to celebrate images that tell visual stories about the health challenges of our time, combatting taboos and bringing complex issues to life to show how health affects society.
Reid’s photo, submitted in the Mental Health single image category, will be assessed by a panel of six judges, with the winners announced on August 19. Winners of each category will receive £1,250,