College snap catches the eye

Molly Richardson took the picture of her friend, Luke, for the assignment which challenged her to look for contrasting people.

The striking image was then submitted to Changing Faces of Leeds exhibition’s public competition, in which it took second place in the contest’s environmental category.

In her submission, Molly said: “I took the picture of Luke when searching for contrasting people as part of a college project. I thought he contrasted well because he stood out and looked very individual compared to a lot of people in this day and age. Luke has been body piercing for about 17 years. He’s a vegan, climber, powerlifter and parent to six ferrets and a bearded dragon called Trevor.”

The environmental category called on photographers to send in pictures in which the surroundings and the people depicted worked together to say something about the image.

Commenting on the photo, the competition judge said: “The background suits the subject matter perfectly here.”

Thousands of people have already flocked to Leeds City Museum for the Changing Faces of Leeds exhibition, which features a unique collection of images from across the city.

Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “This exhibition is a powerful statement about our heritage, our history, and the diverse, dynamic and booming city that Leeds has grown into thanks to the people who have called it home both in the past and today.”

The exhibition, which runs until June 5, features modern mobile selfies and portraits displayed alongside historic photographs spanning generations of local people.