London Photographer Jenny Lewis on the Most Important Photo She’s Ever Taken

Joti and Kiran © Jenny Lewis

Jenny Lewis: One of the most important in the One Day Young series was one of Joti and Kiran. Whilst I was shooting this portrait of Joti, whom I had never met before, with her 4 hour old baby, she told me how she had lost a baby the year before, and with each contraction she had to suppress the waves of grief and fear that were swelling up attempting to drown her. The raw honesty of the conversation cemented this feeling of responsibility I felt, to tell this story of the triumphant mother, the story of strength and empowerment. I learnt a lot about compassion for strangers that day and humanity. We have kept in touch, and it’s wonderful that this moment of taking the picture and talking about her lost son Joseph was a turning point, and somehow Joti and Kiran being in the book keeps Joesph’s memory alive and their picture becomes about both boys. The picture means a lot to me, and I still get goosebumps every time I look at it.