County Durham photographer unveils portraits celebrating children with Down Syndrome

(L-R) Brody, 3, from Gateshead, Lucy, 2, from Newcastle and Isaac, 6, from Whitley Bay are among the children who were photographed by Debbie Todd for the series. Credit: Debbie Todd

A photographer who strives to celebrate difference has unveiled a series of portraits of children with Down Syndrome.

Debbie Todd, who is based in County Durham, said she wants to celebrate the "amazing children" who posed for her series, part of a year-long campaign called "Extra Ordinary".

“I like to take portraits that tell a story about the sitter," she said. "I met some of the children who will be in my new ‘Extra Ordinary’ Project when I was photographing my 2018 collection of images about 'The meaning of being different'.

Ava, 5, from Gateshead. She loves nothing more than singing along to her favourite songs and is full of mischief. Credit: Debbie Todd

"When more families responded to a call-out to be featured in another exhibition I am doing it struck me that these amazing children deserved a campaign of their own.

“I’ve called this series ‘Extra Ordinary’ to reflect the fact that children with an extra ‘21’ chromosome with Down Syndrome are just the same as all other children. They have their own personalities and likes and dislikes and their own sense of self and style.

“They want to do everything other children do and to be accepted and represented fairly and my campaign aims to showcase the stories of some children with Down Syndrome to normalise it and promote inclusion.”

Eva, 4, from Ponteland, James, 3, and Luna, 7, from Consett Credit: Debbie Todd

The portraits were unveiled on Thursday 21 March, to mark World Down Syndrome Day.

They will be part of an exhibition, set to take place in March 2025.

Debbie, who is a graduate of The Northern School of Art’s MA Creative Practice and BA (Hons) Photography degree courses, specialises in documentary fine art photography of people.

Laura Preston from Newcastle, whose two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Lucy was photographed holding a telephone, said: “Lucy’s ability to communicate without speaking leaves us in awe every day.

Austin, 6, from Hexham, Maisie Oxnard, 8, from Wallsend, William Lowrie, 3, from Ponteland. Credit: Debbie Todd

"She draws people in with her smile and her infectious laugh then she blows them away with her ability to talk using baby sign language. We’re very proud of our extra ordinary little girl.

“We love the concept of Debbie’s Extra Ordinary project. Having been involved with the Down Syndrome community for around three years now, we’ve learnt how unique every child with Down Syndrome truly is.

“Raising awareness like this is so important, having an extra chromosome really does make children with Down syndrome extra ordinary.”

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