When Nimbin born photographer Raphaela Rosella began taking shots of the teenage mums living in Australia’s most infamous drug mecca, she wanted to make sure she wasn’t rehashing a tired stereotype. The project came from a more personal place than straight social commentary, she had a direct connection to these women and she wanted their experiences to be seen. Speaking to Anastasia Fedora at Broadly she explained, “When my teenage twin sister told me she was pregnant… I called her a slut and told her to get an abortion because I thought she could have had a better life.”
Realising her reaction was indicative to the same way wider society judges and dismisses the young mothers from her home town, she set out to document the prejudices that punctuates their lives.
Most Australians know the New South Wales town of Nimbin for its local hippy culture and open celebration of weed. But for the individuals growing up there the town is also plagued by drug related violence and poverty. Her own experiences informed this series, “I guess I have that insider perspective because I tend to document people who I know and environments I can relate to. I try to focus on the everyday rather than sensationalising certain aspects.”
Read Broadly’s interview and check out the full series here.
Credits
Photography Raphaela Rosella