James Russell, A Muddled Mind (People and Portrait 2019)

When I dropped in on my friend Jean this day he was not doing so well and commented 'my mind is muddled'. Jean is a Vietnam Vet and suffers with PTSD. He often drifts between moments of clarity and connection and feeling confused, anxious and disconnected from the world around him. Long term mental health issues really do take one on an emotional roller coaster with moments enjoyed in the light quickly followed by dips into withdrawal and darkness. This series of portraits aim to capture these moments of both clarity and confusion, but also the humanity of a man struggling to deal with his demons and enjoy a happy, connected life.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.