by Rhiannon J Davies

“I have liked taking photographs in lockdown because when there is lots of people around, I get stressed and overwhelmed by the noise and sounds around me. I like how each of photographs tells a story; some show happiness and joy and others show sadness and difficult times.”

Sixteen-year-old Dylan Lombard has an extremely rare illness. MDP syndrome (also known as mandibular dysplasia with deafness and progeroid features) is only known to affect Dylan and 12 other people in the whole world. But this isn’t the only thing that make him unique – he also has an incredible eye for the perfect shot.

Growing up with a visible disability hasn’t always been easy, says Dylan: “Some people may laugh or say something to me because of how I look. I use photography to stay positive and be happy.”

Dylan got into photography because he saw other people taking photographs and sharing them on social media. When he started taking photographs on his phone about four years ago, he found it made him feel good about himself too.

According to Dylan: “A good photograph is when you take a photograph that has never been taken before; it looks ordinary which makes it extraordinary. I realised very quickly that because I see the world with a different perspective because of my autism, I can represent this different way of seeing in my photographs.

“One way I like to take photographs is to go to the same place repeatedly. Even though it is the same place, the photographs I take are all different; I take them with different eyes.”

He now uses a DSLR camera that he borrowed from his school, Shawlands Academy. Over Christmas, he raised funds by selling prints of his photos and is now saving to buy a camera of his own. When he finishes school, he’s hoping to go to Glasgow City College to study photography.

Dylan’s photographs of lockdown paint a stark picture of familiar streets, emptied of familiar faces. His street photography style captures the striking architecture of Govanhill, juxtaposing shuttered shops with solitary figures.

However, he likes to shoot images of nature and landscapes too: “I love to shoot anything. When I see something that catches my attention, I don’t stop and hesitate. I put my phone or camera into position and click. When I am out taking photos, I think about photography techniques and try and include them in my photographs. My favourite technique is leading lines because It draws the viewer’s eyes from one part of the photograph to another. Leading lines create movement in a photography and the movement draws the viewer closer to the photograph.”

Dylan’s favourite from his lockdown collection depicts a woman, passing the usually bustling Cafe Strange Brew, her faced wrapped in a scarf; a makeshift face mask: “The cafe owner always likes my photos on Instagram and says kind things. It felt good to be able to do something kind and send her the photo because she has been feeling sad that her café is closed and her staff aren’t working.”

Dylan is a well-known character around the Southside, often out on his electric scooter: “My autism means I find it difficult to communicate to people and I don’t like big crowds of people. I might not always say hello but please wave or say hi if you see me on my scooter or taking photos.” Follow Dylan on Instagram