This year the Wellcome photography prize is exploring the human side of three urgent health challenges that affect people of all ages, in all parts of the world – although they are not felt equally: managing mental health, fighting infectious diseases and global heating. We take a look at some of the shortlisted images

1. Wellcome photography prize 2021 shortlist:
health challenges – in pictures
This year the Wellcome photography prize is exploring the human side of three urgent
health challenges that affect people of all ages, in all parts of the world – although they are
not felt equally: managing mental health, fighting infectious diseases and global heating.
We take a look at some of the shortlisted images
Matt Fidler
Main image:
The Family at the End of the World by Michael Snyder.
Wed 23 Jun 2021 09.00 BST
Managing Mental Health (single image) Disconnected by Kate
Rosewell
Experiences of dissociation involve feeling separated from yourself, like watching your life as if it
were a film. Distanced self-portraits such as this one capture a sense of that for Kate Rosewell, and
help her to make sense of what’s in her mind. Dissociation can be a way of deflecting intense
trauma, but it can also occur in less extreme situations, not least the isolation of lockdown, which
in another way has separated so many of us from reality
Photograph: Kate Rosewell/Wellcome Photography Prize 2021

3. Managing Mental Health (single image) | Untangling by Jameisha
Prescod
The isolation of lockdown exacerbated London film-maker Prescod’s depression, as she spent
most of her time in the concentrated chaos of this room. ‘It’s where I work a full-time job, eat, sleep,
catch up with friends and most importantly cry.’ Before long, she felt like she was ‘drowning in the
clutter’. For escape, she turned to knitting, which helps to soothe her mind. It may not be a cure,
but it does at least put ‘everything else on pause’ for a while
Photograph: Jameisha Prescod/Wellcome Photography Prize 2021
Managing Mental Health (series) – Birds of a Feather Flock
Together by Rebekah Williams

4. A collage featuring Nadeem Perera and Ollie Olanipekun, who founded Flock Together in 2020 in
response to stresses caused by the pandemic and racial injustice in society. The world of
birdwatching, like so many others, is overwhelmingly white. Flock Together is a London-based
birdwatching club for people of colour, building a community of mutual support
Photograph: Rebekah Williams/Wellcome Photography Prize 2021
Managing Mental Health (series) | ADHD Portraits by Nora Nord
Rachelle (she/her) keeps her bedroom meticulously organised, an extension of her ADHD brain,
filled to the brim with ideas and creativity. ‘I’ve always felt like I am too intense, but now that I
understand that this is a symptom of my cognitive processing I feel unapologetic about it.’
Photograph: Nora Nord/Wellcome Photography Prize 2021