Muswell Hill photographer captures lockdown life from the doorstep in charity project

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

Jenny Smith is creating a portfolio of portraits showing people standing at their doorstep to get an insight of what happens behind the closed front doors of household units during the pandemic.

For a donation to Refuge, which is a charity supporting the victims of domestic violence, Jenny will take the photo from a safe two-metre distance.

She has now raised more than £14,500 for the cause and collected more than 300 doorstop pictures.

It is a charity close to Jenny’s heart because her friend killed herself after suffering domestic abuse.

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

“That is my driving force, I want to raise money for this charity in her memory,” said Jenny. “And I was thinking about what I could do now bookings for my business have fallen off a cliff.

“I had actually put a target of raising £1,000 and I am now on £14,000 - it’s gone crazy. The emails are streaming in.”

Famous faces in the collection include BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James and former Labour leader and current shadow business and energy secretary Ed Miliband.

The collection is made all the more interesting by differing interpretations of the brief, Jenny said, with some subjects getting dressed up for the occasion and others wearing casual wear like dressing gowns to illustrate lockdown life.

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

One family are each holding an item to show the things they miss during the crisis, such as a golf club and a passport.

Jenny is considering exhibiting the finished collection once the pandemic is over.

She highlighted the symbolism of capturing people at their front door, when domestic abuse is often perpetrated in the family unit and Refuge can provide a safe home for victims.

Experts and charities have warned the Covid-19 lockdown is causing the rate of domestic violence to skyrocket.

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

According to the Counting Dead Women project, which records UK women killed by men or where a man is the prime suspect, 14 women were killed in the first three weeks of lockdown – double the average rate for this time of year.

Donate to Jenny’s project at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/frontdoorphoto.

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

Jenny Smith is a photographer from Muswell Hill. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)

The portraits of people in front of their front doors during lockdown. Picture: Jenny Smith (Image: JENNY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY)