Steph Wilson wins the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024

Steph Wilson is a British photographer, working between London and Paris. Working in fashion and editorial photography, she has previously worked for notable brands such as Mugler, Simone Rocha and Nike, and publications including Dazed, i-D and the British Journal of Photography.

Wilson’s ongoing project Ideal Mother seeks to document unconventional and ‘imperfect’ examples of motherhood. In her shortlisted portrait, Wilson captures her eponymous sitter, Sonam, who she met through Instagram following a callout for a-typical mothers willing to be photographed for the project.

Sonam’s direct and unsmiling gaze, wide legged sprawl, close cut hair and moustache make for an unexpectedly masculine image of motherhood. A wig maker by trade, Sonam actually wears a false moustache, not only as a statement of her career, but also to call back to instances when she was encouraged to embrace her masculine features by friends and family. Wilson’s ambition was to present sitters as more than just mothers, referring to all elements that contribute towards a whole person, capable of many achievements.

This is a portrait of balance, of blending, and of broadening conversations on pregnancy and parenthood, and a visual of individuality and authenticity. The judges felt this portrait was instantly eye-catching and challenges audience assumptions made on an initial reading of the portrait. The relationship between Sonam and her baby, and details revealing elements of her personality, are just some of the many layers of understanding in this image.

Main Image: Sonam by Steph Wilson from the series Ideal Mother, 2023 © Steph Wilson