Emma is a single-image portrait created with Emma Attard, a rape survivor who chose to speak publicly about her experience.
Following Emma’s decision to make her story public, I approached her to produce a portrait that could a ccompany her testimony. During the shoot I directed Emma to adopt what I described as a “brave warrior look”—an expression of strength rather than victimhood, directed at both her attacker and the broader culture that often expects survivors to remain silent.
The portrait was produced through a process of conversation and trust. Emma entered the studio without preparation or stylisation, presenting herself as she was. The resulting image is restrained and direct, allowing the subject’s presence and gaze to carry the emotional weight of the work.
At the time the portrait was created, Emma had been waiting several months for her case to progress through the Maltese justice system. When the image was later shared publicly, it became a visual point of focus for her testimony and for wider discussions about sexual violence and justice in Malta.
The photograph received international recognition. It won the People’s Storytelling Award in the professional category of the Julia Margaret Cameron Awards for Women Photographers and was shortlisted for the Hellerau Portrait Award, competing with photographers from over twenty countries.
Although consisting of a single image, Emma stands as a collaborative portrait that transforms personal testimony into a public visual statement. By giving a face to a lived experience often hidden or silenced, the work positions portraiture as a space where individual narrative and collective awareness intersect.
Krysta on bed, moments before she put on her wedding gown
Cherise on her parent's bed looking at her wedding gown
Steffi here really happy to put on her dress..
