Senara Wilson Hodges Film maker and environmentalist

As a portrait photographer in Cornwall, much of my recent personal work has focused on climate change and climate change activism. Alongside my commissioned portrait photography in Cornwall, I spent around five years documenting local environmental groups who organised creative actions to highlight the climate emergency.

During that time, I photographed numerous events across St Ives and wider Cornwall, capturing people coming together to demand action. These experiences led me to produce a longterm environmental portrait photography project titled Citizens of Love and Rage a series of portraits ofindividuals living in the South West who had made the decision to be arrestedas part of their protest against the lack of meaningful action from governmentsand big business to halt climate change.

PhotographingClimate Change Activism in St Ives

One of the people I photographed was Senara, the lead of the St Ives group of Extinction Rebellion. She had previously been arrested in London alongside her lovely mum while protesting on London Bridge. They chose to lock themselves together, meaning the police had to carefully cut through metal bars to release them before making the arrest.

·To me, that is a radical gesture to make for a principle you believe in. It is not something taken lightly, being arrested and charged with an offence can have lasting consequences. As a documentary and portrait photographer in Cornwall, I am drawn to that intersection between conviction, vulnerability and strength.

I had photographed many imaginative and creative protests in St Ives, locals united in peaceful action. I was struck by howstrong Senara was and how naturally others looked to her for guidance. At the end of each event, she would speak to the crowd, explaining why they were taking action and introducing Extinction Rebellion, which at that time was still relatively new in Cornwall. She always wore a smart suit, which made her stand out composed, articulate and quietly determined.

EnvironmentalPortrait Photography at Porthmeor Beach, Cornwall

When Senara agreed to be part of Citizens of Loveand Rage, I knew the portrait needed to reflect her deep concern for the seaand coastal environment. Living and protesting in St Ives, the ocean is never separate from the conversation about climate change.

I decided to photograph her in the sea at Porthmeor Beach in St Ives, a location that is both iconic in Cornwall and personally meaningful. I also asked her to wear her suit again, linking it to how I see her: a strong, independent woman standing firmly in her convictions.

It was a beautiful sunny day in Cornwall when we walked down to Porthmeor for the portrait session. The contrast between the formal suit and the vast openness of the sea felt symbolic, an environmental portrait that quietly speaks about responsibility, resilience and the future of our coastline.

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