The Royal Photographic Society have been hosting an open call photography exhibition continuously since their inception in 1864. This year they received over 8,000 submissions from which the judges created a shortlist of 279, and I’m very pleased to have this portrait of girls from London’s Womanhood Academy selected for the shortlist.

Run by a collective of volunteers, all of African descent, the Womanhood Academy is a community youth group supporting the personal growth and empowerment of young women and girls. Their motto, Nurture A Girl, Raise A Nation.

My thanks again to Peaches Cadogan and team at Womanhood Academy, and Aundrieux Sankofa and team at Manhood Academy Also writer Sheryl Garratt, art director Jo Bell, photo assistant Julie Stewart and the team at Perfect Bound magazine.