The lives of Irish traveller children have been explored by a photographer in a series of black and white images showing them playing on their sites.
Jamie Johnson has been travelling back and forth from Ireland for four years and, after capturing the Ballinasloe Horse Fair and Festival in October, she returned to the same families this summer to capture the youngsters’ antics.
Photographs show the youngsters happily playing and working with their horses and caravans, as well as dressing up in suits and eating candyfloss.
Ms Johnson has specialised in children’s photography throughout her career and believes that traveller children are discriminated against more than any other culture in the world.
She said: My career as a photographer is always based in children and I travel all around the world photographing children in their different cultures and their different religions and their different lifestyles and I find that no matter where you come from no matter what language you speak or what religion you or how rich or poor you are – a child is a child and they’re all perfect.
‘I’m shocked and horrified by the incredible racism these particular children face in their life it’s hardly fair that they are judged so harshly on their culture.
‘I have travelled throughout the world into so many countries like Cuba in India and Nepal and Thailand and Ecuador and I have never in my life seen such horrific blatant racism.’
Two young girls hold up a baby doll they are playing with, while a white pony tied to a caravan watches on in the background. They are among the subjects of Jamie Johnson’s latest photography project
A woman eats candyfloss while enjoying herself at a fairground (left) while two younger girls in matching outfits also eat the sugary snack
A boy tries to lead his pony across a field, while a girl in wellies gives the animal a hug
A youngster holds up his pet dog (left) while another boy (right) makes a mess of his mouth while eating an ice cream cone
Another young boy tends to a horse as it grazes in a field. Ms Johnson has been travelling back and forth from Ireland for four years to take photos
Two lads stand in front of a pony that has just been loaded into a horse box (left) while another boy in a peak cap grins in front of a caravan (right)
A toddler looks on excitedly as she sits in her mother’s arms. Ms Johnson believes that ‘all children are perfect’ and that traveller children face discrimination
A young girl dressed in a coat stands at the door of her old style caravan (left), while two young boys pose with a small, black pony (right)
A youngster dressed smartly in a blazer and matching trousers rides his bicycle outside his caravan
Four youngster larking about on a wagon inside their campsite (left), while a girl poses for the camera with an ice cream in one hand and a can of drink in the other (right)
Three children stare excitedly out of the window of their caravan
A young boy in glasses holds up two puppies (left), while a baby is kept in the arms of his father (right) – one of the few adults to feature in the collection
A young boy gives a toothy grin to the camera. after capturing the Ballinasloe Horse Fair and Festival in October, she returned has returned to the same families this summer
A pony runs behind a young boy as he excitedly tows it across their field. A group of men can be seen in the background huddled together
A girl plays with her hair as she stands next to her caravan
This shirted boy stands in front of a black and white spotted horse as it is led away
Two other children pictured on a camp. A freckled boy glares into the photographer’s lens, while a pigtailed girl winks (right)
A young family examine a scene that is unfolding inside the camp
A smartly-dressed child with a stick poses for the camera while holding her father’s hand (left) and two boys share an embrace (right)
A youngster on crutches poses outside a modern caravan
Two boys wrestling in a field while a horse watches over them (left), while another animal looks into the camera while other youngsters gather behind it (right)
A young boy in a jumper leads an incredibly young pony down a pathway, while others watch on around him
A traveller youngster standing inside his wooden caravan