Lily Bertrand-Webb| PC Pioneers

LILY BERTRAND-WEBB is a photographer whose mastery of portraiture has led The National Portrait Gallery to purchase one of her portraits for their permanent collection. Born and bred a West Londoner of half Dominican & half English heritage she lost her hearing from a young age she now wears a cochlear implant which replaces acoustic hearing with electric – never one to be held back she taught herself to lipread.

What will you be doing in your PCs & why did you choose your style?

I will be snapping away in my boots! They’re perfect for shooting in the studio and on locations. Simply comfortable and simply stylish at the same time!

What steps are you taking to incorporate sustainability into your life and work?

From a young age and thanks to my stylish mum, I’ve always worn vintage clothes. Nothing beats the Friday Market on Portobello Road. Now more than ever, it is important to wear sustainable clothes.

We know you love to surf, what is it about the sport that you love?

I can’t wear my Cochlear Implant in the water, which means I can’t hear when I’m in the water. There’s something extra special about that as my other senses are hypersensitive, the feel and the look of the water is heightened. I feel like I’m ‘switched off’ from reality but present and connected with Mother Earth.

You lost your hearing at a young age. What did you do to overcome the difficulties that may have come with that? Do you think it has had an impact on who you are today?

Most definitely. I was fortunate to have very pushy and supportive parents. They knew that as a mix raced woman with a ‘disability’, I was going to have a difficult life. I was brought up to use my differences to my advantages. All the obstacles and struggles that were going to come my way, I was taught to hold my head high and get on with it.