When photographer James Mollison was asked to do a project on children’s rights, he found himself thinking back to his childhood bedroom and the deep importance it played in his upbringing. Taking that idea with him around the world, he photographed a diverse cross section of children and the bedrooms they call home. His moving images remove the children from their home environment, showing them before a neutral background that mostly hides their economic status as if to say “kids are just kids.” Only when their bedroom is observed, however, does the full scope of their living situation become poiniently clear. Where Children Sleep, a beautiful hardcover book featuring 112 color photographs is now available from chrisboot.com.
If you enjoyed these photographs, you might also enjoy our post “Slumdog Photographer of the Decade”
Via: fubiz.net
I don’t know. Regardless of the neutral background, a child carrying an assualt rifle or a pickaxe still has certain implications, and they aren’t “kids are just kids” kind of implications.
Yes, kids are kids, but, too many of them, clearly, aren’t allowed to be kids. That makes me very sad.
Now thats photography.
The stories this blog tells in photos, context and juxtaposition is pure human soul poetry
It’s amazing how our environment shapes us as human beings. James’ photographs are captivating-the eyes!
I very seldom post comments as I stumble through various blogs and such in the vast Internet, but these photos were so moving I had to say something.
People say things like,”Why do we (Americans) spend time and money helping other nations, when we need so much help here?” These picture of how some children go to bed at night needs no other explanation. The comfort and security of a bed at night is a gift we take for granted.
Wow! Thank you for all your work. Great!
Very poignant…
Heavy photos, keep up the capturing of life around the world. Impressive work.
These photo’s are very captivating. Who could have guessed that they live in those environments. People today are used to seeing people living in luxurious homes when in reality, some still live in those kind of places.
the one that hit me harder than any of them was the little boy in the red wearing a baseball cap. seeing that bare mattress with various fabrics strewn over it, out in the elements, away from any shelter, just about cut me to the bone. i agree that this photographer is doing a good thing by getting these photos out there, but i wonder how much of the money spent on his book will go to assist some of these kids? i know that isn’t what they’re about, but c’mon. that kid’s sleeping in a field. someone needs to do something.
Incredible this world we live in. One child sleeps in filth while the other has crowns, trophies and is pampered like a princess. This will certainly help define me as a mother in the future. What is really important in life is love. Not stuff!
This sucks!
These photos are absolutely captivating. The theme was captured amazingly and the facial expression of each child is resounding.
These snaps are portraying dark faces of societies. Its time to change them.
Regards !
stunning images and very touching.
WE MUST STOP PEDOBEAR
It’s not an “assault rifle,” it’s an over-under shotgun, usually used for quail hunting, but I’m assuming he’s using it for turkey with all his full camo. nor is that military camouflage, that kid is a rural American. He is into the sport of hunting. And that axe, just an ax, used for work, not war.
@tony
You must not be a hunter..
Though, to your point, I would like to know if the objects they hold are props.
The child carrying the “assault rifle” (incorrect) appears to be in a family of hunters. One should not assume any child carrying a shotgun is immediately a chechnyan kid-soldier forced into battle. Look at the compound bow and non-mil camo decorations.
This is a great collection that should help to raise awareness and open hearts.
These are fantastic. My favorite is the tomboy with the babydoll on her bed, because she reminds me of the best person I know.
The bead-covered African kid also has a beautiful room.
I don’t know quite what’s up with the hair-swirlies kid with the really modern minimalist room.
The hunter kid’s portrait is misleading at first.
And where does little miss strawberry-chan even sleep???
All very interesting and beautiful.
very inspirational. key to changing the world, starting from the ground up.
I see this through a child’s eyes. I see the privileged and the not so privileged, but obviously and thankfully not to this scale. I found this set of pictures moving. I found it amazing how the ‘luxurious’ were far more colourful then the poorer and squalor. When often on TV and other forms of media we see many of the poorer places capturing bright colour.
i love this! i think it is amazing! great work
some so sad
one kid has a gun.. and it is a shotgun.. his entire room is hunting themed and equipment.. not one has an assault rifle.
Wow.!
This world is diverse and people indifferent…What an awesome photo journal.
The two spoiled girls are so creepy.
I love the fact that you have the child showing too. another thing i really like about the photos is that there are some really nice places along with the bad one. i noticed that there is really only like 1 normal kid, the sporty one and all the other ones have a different child life.
Probably the one doing most damage is the princess at the top.
wonderful post, happy i found this!
OMG… As a mother these pictures are disturbing, heartbreaking, gut wrenching. But they need to be seen, too often we forget the reality and are lost in the fantasy we call LIFE.
Thank you
Love the photos! Makes me think about all the children that are in need
I’m glad you found it too!
its not actually an assault rifle, its a hunting shotgun, most likely double barrel for shooting things like game ie ducks, birds, etc. Just because the boy has hunting weapons and camo themed bed spreads does not mean the child is armed with an assault rifle and has been robbed of a child hood. maybe he lives in an area where hunting game is the way he and his family puts meals on the table? it is very arrogant and american of you to assume the child has an assault rifle, probably because you in fact have never seen one. Despite the urbanization of our society, there are still rural areas where populations reside.
Carrie says:
People say things like,”Why do we (Americans) spend time and money helping other nations, when we need so much help here?” These picture of how some children go to bed at night needs no other explanation. The comfort and security of a bed at night is a gift we take for granted.
@ Carrie: The thing is that there are plenty of children in America without the comfort and security of a bed at night. It is not an exclusively foreign issue. Which calls for people to say things like “Why do we (Americans) spend time and money helping other nations, when we need so much help here?”
Very moving. Captivating. Awesome…!
It is so unfortunate that the saying ‘Out of sight …out of mind’ rings so true amongst most people. We all know that there are many children in the world that are less fortunate than others. It is only when the reality is brought forth through a visual do we actually allow that knowledge to carry any type of feelings or awareness.
It does make me wonder why, when there are so many needy in our own neighborhood…do we feel the need to help others that are so far away or are in a culture so different from ours that they do not see themselves as needy or without.
Most of us tend to live in a material world and feel that if one does not have the so called ‘curb appeal’ type of dwelling…that they are poor or in need of.
To see children armed with weapons and showing no sense of compassion in their eyes is what makes me feel for them.
Your photos are most definitely thought provoking~
I think only one of these children look their proper age (Another one looked to be chronologically stunted) The rest looked older than their years for whatever reason.
The little pageant queen is really disturbing. The little hunter worries me as well. Many of these expressions have no place on a child’s face.
I don’t which is worse.. the poor underpriveleged kids or the spoiled brats the “well to do” are raising.
@tony: I don’t see any assault rifles.. the only gun appears to be the shotgun wielding neo-con junior camo appreciation society member (and probable school a-hole) at #8
I love these photos!
What a brilliant recording of human survival!!
Honest…. confronting and sometimes sad.
Its interesting too because the child pictured above who’s in a room full of dolls, seems a little disturbing to me, because of the contrast with those children who have very little.
Imagination blooms with those who have less.
Having room to create, builds dreams.
I like how the narrative remains untold.
Kudos
I like this web blog very much, Its a very nice post to read and receive information.
The photos here are very good and incredibly moving.
i feel so sorry for that lil’ boy who’s bed is outside… i also feel sorry for those children less fortunate than me
The most interesting to me is the comments. I was under the impression that the audience of the internet had evolved since the early days. Back then, they were mostly sheltered westerners with enough money to splurge on a computer. Consequently, their opinions were narrowly based on the background of that group. I had thought the internet had expanded to include the rest of the world. Well, there’s not much evidence of the expansion in the comments of this page.
Most of the world is poor. You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that, and pictures demonstrating that reveal nothing new.
`~- Nehmo
I don’t know which photo is the saddest, the one of the boy who sleeps on a mattress out in the open, or the asian girl in the horribly expensive doll dress who sleeps in a horribly expensive room filled to the rafters with horribly expensive toys. (Talk about the crassest and most vulgar of new money!)
Breathtaking and eye-opening.