Reflections on 2017

Mohamed Yusuf
Dec 30, 2017
3 min read

I find the final days of December to be an invitation to pause for a moment and reflect on the year that has passed and to plan for the year that is yet to come

Personally, 2017 has been a year full of milestones, happiness, sadness, heartbreak, success and failures. This is the year that I had a change in career and settled down in the beautiful city of Manchester. This is the year that I first picked up the camera. This was the year that I first met my mother after many years of separation. Above all, this is the year that I had the biggest change in perspective towards the world and humanity.

For the first half of the year I lived in North Yorkshire, I lived there during one of the most difficult political climates in the UK. North Yorkshire was dissimilar from the usual cosmopolitan cities that I was used to, cities like Manchester and London. During the difficult and polarising periods in North Yorkshire, I had an insight. I met with some of the small-town folks, they had a contrastingly different perspective to me. I had the privilege of getting to know these folks, I got to see the world from their perspective and have constructive discussions; an experience that I could n't have imagined prior moving to North Yorkshire.

I learnt that people are a product of their environment, they eventually adopt the perspectives of their loved ones and those nearest to them, even if those perspectives are erroneous and archaic. Also, their perspective of the world is shaped by third-hand points of view, views that come from those who are in the authoritative and influential domain.

Just by being in this setting I became the voice of 'the other side', for me, this felt like a great opportunity, an opportunity in which I could have a positive impact on society within my domain of influence - I had a responsibility. This was a challenging experience at first, but a life-changing one in the long run. It forced me out of my filter bubble, it taught me to get acquainted with the uncomfortable feeling that follows when listening to an alternative perspective, irregardless of how untrue it may be . Above all, it taught me that deep down we all share more similarities than we do differences, and that politics is the biggest polariser.

When my time in North Yorkshire had finished, I moved back to Manchester. This is when I started street photography. From my positive and enlightening experience with the folks in North Yorkshire, I started to explore Manchester and its people through my lens. Straight away photography become my medium for engaging with my community. I started to do more intimate portraitures, I started to really understand those around me, connecting with them and hearing their stories. This is how the Manchester Stories was born; a street portrait series that revolves around having a genuine and sincere conversation with people in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens.

I am completely grateful for the beautiful experiences I have had in the past year. I am grateful for those beautiful and amazing human beings who I have met, those generous and kind friends who have taught me, guided me and inspired me through this wonderful photography journey. Thank you!

Friends, followers and all who come across this post, Happy New Year! I hope the new year is good to you and that it brings you lots of joy.