The Isis Magazine held its first ever photography competition in Hilary Term 2021, judged by Antonio Perricone, former Editor-in-Chief of the Isis and Junior Photo Editor at Vogue.

Overall winner: Aaron Hammond Duncan (St Hilda’s) – ‘Tom Outside My House’

For my entry to the competition I wanted to tackle how isolated lockdown has made many of us feel, an isolation felt while being in such close proximity to one another. I shot this picture of Tom outside my house. The porch had become a liminal space, a familiar ground catch up coffees and conversations held over the invisible fences that divided us. For me this image has come to represent more than when I first shot it. Over time, the physical isolation I felt then has deepened into something more universal; a sense of shared longing and loss that many will be able to identify with.

Open category winner: Jules Pars (Pembroke) – ‘Marches’

I called this piece ‘Marches’ because the haze recalls both battle and protest. It also conveys the uncertainty of the Covid era, encapsulated for me by the presence of lockdown in March(es) both 2020 and 2021.  

Outside category winner: Grace Page (St John’s) – ‘Traeth Llangrannog’

The title of the piece, Traeth Llangrannog, refers to the beach in rural West Wales where I spent a significant portion of my childhood. Brimming with holidaymakers enveloped by the warm evening sun, the photograph encapsulates Llangrannog at the height of summer.

Inside category winner: Skai Campbell (St Anne’s) – ‘Us Lot II’

This piece is a response to the feelings of hypervisibility and othering that comes with being a black man in Oxford. I wanted to lean into this and reject the notion that our presence is contingent on conformity- it’s like the subjects are directly addressing the viewer saying they couldn’t care less how they come across, they’re here to stay.

Fashion category winner: Issey Gladston (Keble) – ‘Vida at Home’

Vida and I collaborated on this shoot for a sustainable lingerie brand. I love shooting lingerie because it’s a way to create an alternative to the male gaze that tends to infiltrate this type of shoot and the way women are photographed in general.

Words and photographs by Aaron Hammond Duncan, Jules Par, Grace Page, Skai Campbell and Issey Gladston.