‘Breaking the Stereotype’ – a new photography exhibition challenging many people’s deeply
ingrained perceptions of homelessness – will be on display at St Paul’s Church, Blandford
Road, St Albans from October 6 th to 20th.

The free exhibition is the brainchild of award-winning St Albans photographer Christopher
Hall, who has experienced homelessness first-hand.

After two years of sleeping rough and living on the streets, Christopher discovered his
passion for photography through a charity project. This led him to use his craft to shed light
on social issues, particularly the misconceptions surrounding homelessness.

Christopher explains: “When we think of homelessness, many of us picture individuals
begging or sleeping in doorways, struggling with addiction or mental health issues. This
image, while prevalent, represents only a small part of a much larger reality.

“In England, more than 270,000 people are homeless – enough to fill Wembley Stadium
three times. Yet, the visible face of homelessness, the rough sleepers we see in our towns
and cities, accounts for only about one per cent of this population.”

The ‘Breaking the Stereotype’ project aims to confront these misconceptions head-on. It
presents 20 photographs and invites viewers to decide which individuals have experienced
homelessness and which have not.

“This approach,” says Christopher, “challenges the stereotypes that often cloud our
understanding of who the homeless are and what they look like.”

The exhibition is open on the gallery at St Paul’s Church from October 6 th to 20 th , Monday to
Friday from 9am to 9pm, and on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm. The display invites viewers
“to look beyond appearances and reconsider what they think they know about
homelessness.”