Copywriting & Storytelling
©Yana Northen /
@yanaphotos789
PROJECT "Mark on History"
My project focuses on the integration of people into society after retirement, exploring how they can live full and fruitful lives.
Through my photographs, I aim to depict the vibrant and active lives many retirees lead, challenging the notion that life becomes less enjoyable after retirement.
Instead, I want to show that for many, retirement is the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities to pursue passions and discover new interests.
One of the most compelling examples of this is the volunteers at Kidderminster Railway Station.
These dedicated individuals invest their free time, energy, and love into preserving and maintaining this piece of our historical heritage.
Their work not only keeps the station operational but also serves as a living testament to the history and culture of our community.
Through my time spent with these volunteers, listening to their stories and photographing their efforts, I have come to appreciate the depth of their commitment and enthusiasm.
By capturing their passion and dedication, I hope to inspire others and highlight the meaningful impact retirees can have on society.
The project has taken on a deeply important direction, focusing on the people who are truly the heart and soul of restoring and maintaining historical sites.
It’s not just a project about physical restoration; it’s about human dedication, selflessness, and collective effort, making it more profound and meaningful.
I want to give these volunteers a "face" and recognise their heroism because, too often, the attention is focused on the end result—the restored buildings and other structures—while the people behind these processes remain in the shadows.
I want to show that without these volunteers, without their love and hard work, none of this would be possible.
My desire to make these individuals visible is a vital step in preserving not only the history of these sites but also the history of those who create it with their own hands.
This project aims to inspire others to recognise the value of volunteer work and demonstrate that the contributions of every individual can have a tremendous impact on society.
PROJECT "Transcendence"
The project I'm currently working on is called "Transcendence," which means breaking away from the past, transformation, and moving onto a new life path. It has been more then 10 years since my husband and I bought a house in the Worcestershire area.
It was important for us to find a place in the countryside, and we found our perfect spot.
A lot has happened in my life since then...
I have always drawn tranquility, peace, and strength from being in nature-it has been a form of meditation for me. But recently, I returned from Germany trip and, as always, went for a walk in the familiar forest, only to be shocked to discover that half of it had been cut down.
This deeply affected me...
The forest was a place of restoration and healing for me, and its disappearance creates a sense of broken harmony, as it was not just a physical space but also an emotional support.
A sense of farewell and reflection on the destruction of natural harmony.
How humans perceive and in others relate to nature?
We often associate pain with cries and tears because these are the reactions we see and feel in ourselves or in others.
But nature, devoid of our language, expresses pain differently — through silence, emptiness, a disruption of familiar rhythms.
When a forest is cut down, it’s not just a single tree that disappears — an entire world of sounds, scents, and connections, living in every leaf and root, vanishes.
This silence is like a voiceless scream.
Can humans feel this pain?
Perhaps every time we enter a place where a forest once stood but now only stumps and fallen trunks remain, we feel a sense of unease, as if something important has gone, something alive has been lost.
This is an intuitive pain that connects us with nature.
Strangely enough, we ourselves are a part of nature, and by destroying it, we destroy something within ourselves as well.
Project 70 +
In old age, everyone needs more attention. It is so sad that we sometimes forget about those to whom we owe our existence.
If we all communicated with them more often, I believe they could set a good example for the current generation.
Ultimately, we all grow old, and that is an inevitable fact.
We will all need attention and care.
For me, communicating with people from different eras is always enlightening and fascinating.
They preserve and honor family traditions, and in their times, people valued different things and were more courteous and gallant in their interactions.
