Above: Caring Scotland – Ten Portraits and Sound Collection, photograph by Kirsty Anderson
Ten Portraits is a photographic exhibition featuring Care Experienced people. We spoke to Chris, the photographer on the project. He tells us more about the work and how it shaped his own view of being Care Experienced.
How did you become involved in the project?
I saw an advert for the Ten Portraits project and thought it had my name on it. There was an application process then an interview. About 130 people applied, and this was then narrowed down to 20. After that, 6 of us were invited to an interview with National Theatre of Scotland.
I brought a selection of examples my printed work, as well as a photograph that spoke to me personally to discuss. I chose an immensely powerful image by my favourite portrait photographer Sarah Edmunds. I also talked about how I would approach working with people so that they felt safe and comfortable taking part.
I left the interview feeling like no stone was left unturned. A few days later I got a call to say they had chosen me as the photographer for the project. I couldn’t believe it. My partner Elaine, who pushed me to apply, was blown away, too.
How did you work with each person?
Each person was Care Experienced so I shared that I was too. The fact we had that connection put a lot of minds at rest. I also listened to their audio stories before we even thought about the photo shoot. This put the photo shoot in a broader perspective, so it aligned with what they wanted to share.
I did video calls, or met in person along with Genna (trainee project manager) with the participants, asking them about special places in their memories and what was important to them. And we’d allow for changes too. One person felt the approach didn’t resonate with their experience and comfort, so we changed plans and came up with a new approach. I was totally prepared to learn on the move regarding how people would react to ideas.
The team at National Theatre of Scotland was brilliant. They made sure people’s needs were met, and they understood potential triggers. They really made sure that people were safe, that they could open up, and would never be judged.
How do you capture someone’s personality?
Really, it’s about just listening to someone’s story and being able to relate to that story. Some might be happy memories, others might be serious situations. It’s also important that a person really feels comfortable and is OK. You let the person be themselves – with that relaxation there’s a moment, which is what you capture in that image.
And people chose specific locations which worked for them: one person chose a beach, another chose their old children’s home. We really left it open to each person to tell us what was important to them. That was key to making people feel at ease: that they could choose the places which stood out to them.
For example, Gemma had a lot of memories about travel and so we had Waverley Station as a backdrop for her. She brought the red coat herself and that really made the image ‘pop’. After the station, we knew another location wouldn’t have surpassed that for her portrait.
Above: Gemma, copyright Chris Scott Photography Dundee
What do you think was most important about this project for you?
It was a very personal journey for me as well. I was able to meet other Care Experienced people, listen to their stories and really connect. It was actually quite a healing process. I felt a real sense of belonging. It was an honour to meet these people and take their photograph.
I was given a lot of responsibility, so I guess an important aspect was living up to the challenge. But I got there and we made this happen. Being able to work on such a significant exhibition sort of removed any doubts that I might not be able to do something like this. It was a fantastic opportunity to work with participants and also the National Theatre of Scotland.
By doing this work, I’ve learned that there are other experiences. My own experience of care wasn’t great, but it was inspiring to hear people who had positive experiences. It was eye-opening and comforting. I would never have had that opportunity if I hadn’t done this project. I would have been stuck in my bubble. This opened my eyes a bit. I saw that everyone has their own story.
What do you hope this project might mean for other people?
For people who do not have experience of care, I hope this project shows diversity. There are different ages, jobs, backgrounds. Each portrait is different, each individual shines through. I hope the exhibition can spread some light and show that there are positive experiences alongside negative ones. People have made incredible successes in their lives, and some have used their own experiences to help others too.
It’s interesting to see how people have made it through their own experience of care. If you’ve not had that maternal or paternal encouragement, you must learn it yourself. That’s what I really picked up on: the grace of people who have used their own experience to move forward.
In essence, this is a listening project as it’s part of the broader Caring Scotland project. So really this is about Care Experienced people being heard, being able to speak and not being afraid to talk about your experience.
Find out more
Ten Portraits tours alongside One Hundred Voices, an interactive audio installation based on the testimony of the Care Experienced community in Scotland.
They are both part of the Caring Scotland listening project, documenting the lives and experiences of at least 100 members of the care experienced community in Scotland.
Caring Scotland aims to raise the profile, celebrate the achievements and empower the care experienced community.
The project is delivered by National Theatre of Scotland in partnership with Who Cares? Scotland and the National Library of Scotland. It was funded with an award from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Above: One Hundred Voices, photograph by Kirsty Anderson
Ten Portraits as part of One Hundred Voices is on display at the following venues:
The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
Wednesday 12 to Friday 28 August 2026
Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
Wednesday 2 to Saturday 12 September 2026
Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries
Thursday 17 to Saturday 19 September 2026
Millennium Centre, Stranraer
Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 September
Reid Hall, Forfar
Thursday 1 to Saturday 3 October
Rothes Halls, Glenrothes
Thursday 8 to Saturday 30 October
