Kids With Down Syndrome Pose As Disney Characters For A Beautiful Awareness Campaign (20 Pics)
Interview With Artist
Everyone is beautiful, no matter whom they were born as. This is the central idea that British photographer Nicole Louise Perkins wants to share with the world with her amazing ‘Down With Disney’ campaign that celebrates children who have Down Syndrome.
During a series of fabulous photo shoots, Perkins took pictures of kids dressed as various characters from Disney movies: from ‘The Little Mermaid’ to ‘The Lion King’ and more. In an interview with Bored Panda, Perkins explained what the inspiration for the project was, why it was important, and what it means.
“I created ‘Down With Disney’ because last year I began my awareness/celebration campaigns. I had done a Down Syndrome awareness campaign ‘Down Right Beautiful’ and it got a lot of interest.”
“It was full of information that would hopefully help new parents. As my following on social media grew with parents of children with Down Syndrome, I wanted to do something for them again this year which is where ‘Down With Disney’ came from. I absolutely love Disney and I know I am not alone, so I thought this would be perfect.”
Scroll down for the rest of Bored Panda’s interview with Perkins, including her advice for other photographers, as well as details of what drives her passion for her profession.
More info: NicoleLouiseP.Wixsite.com/Baby-Photography | Facebook | Instagram | Instagram 2 | Instagram 3
Photographer Nicole Louise Perkins took photos of kids with Down Syndrome dressed as Disney characters
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
The photographer wants to raise awareness about Down Syndrome, as well as show that beauty can be found everywhere.
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
According to Perkins, the ‘Down With Disney’ campaign wasn’t without its challenges. Some of them were financial. “The greatest challenge was knowing when to stop. I could have gone on forever with these photo shoots but the props and everything is just so expensive.”
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
“Well worth it though to see the joy my images have brought to everyone,” she said that she doesn’t regret the expenses one bit. She’s also pleasantly surprised by the reaction that people have had to her project. “The reaction has been amazing I never imagined I would go viral! It’s been a crazy few months but absolutely amazing at the same time.”
“I couldn’t be happier,” she said.
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Perkins told Bored Panda that she has loved photography ever since she was little. But her path to becoming a professional photographer was long, winding, and helped her merge two different passions.
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
“I’ve always loved photography, but I wasn’t sure I would be able to get a job straight away after college if I studied it, so I did childcare instead.”
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
“My last placement at college was in a special needs school. It seriously changed my life, I still work there to this day due to falling in love with people who have special needs,” she explained. “I taught myself photography on the side and started up my own business with that. When I was happy with where I was photography-wise, I thought I would put my two loves in life together.”
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Her advice to other photographers who might be too shy to show their work publicly or to do projects that go outside the box was simple: “I would say go for it.”
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
“I spent a very long time trying to be like everyone else getting those newborn poses right, but then I realized that it just wasn’t the style I wanted to do. So I stopped and done them my way instead.”
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
“I have always wanted to put my love for photography with my love for people with special needs and the day I did that was when I realized this is what I am best at,” Perkins noted. “Show off your work: people will either like it or they won’t, it doesn’t matter as long as you have been true to yourself.”
Image credits: Nicole Louise
Image credits: Nicole Louise
People thought that the photo project was amazing
335Kviews
Share on Facebook
Aaaw adorable!!!! The kids seemed to have such a blast!!!! And those props are so cute!! ❤️
This is super awesome! I have a few friends with Down syndrome, and I know that they would be super ecstatic over something like this.
Yup. Too cute for words! I honestly can't say which is my favorite because they're ALL my favorite!
Their smiles made me smile. I'm still smiling. Their joy is so infectious.
Load More Replies...
Yeah but that poor baby... NG tubes are so uncomfortable. Hope he is well enough to have them out soon
Load More Replies...
This is awesome!! People with Down syndrome make the world a more beautiful place!
Nice! I have worked with people with downs syndrome & -have friends with downs syndrome. Each unique!
I loved all of them so much! My favorite was the Aladdin one they were so cute! But they all were so adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my goodness this great and beautiful!!!😍😍😍😍😍. My granddaughter is 8 and also has down syndrome, she is the right of my life!!!!
Darling, darling, darling. Loved these precious joyous children. Belle was especially lovely.
These photographs are absolutely amazing! What You did with these children and the way You took the time and effort to make these photos soooo good! The children are near and dear to My heart, because I had a Sister, who just passed in Dec. 2018, that had Down Syndrome. She would have been 50 yrs. old this year! I miss Johnnie every single day, but I know what an amazing and God given person She was!!!🙏🏽😞🙏🏽😍
Fantastic photography allowing the children to be themselves. Well done 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Wow, this is so awesome! People like this photographer and these kids have God on their side
How about that for awareness: there are governments in (seemingly) civilized countries in the middle of Europe that want to tell you that you have to give birth and take care of child like this, that this is your f...ing responsibility and does not care whether you are able and fit to do it and will not help you with it. The kids in pictures do look adorable. But do you know that only the top couple percent of people born with Downs Syndrome will be able to ever live on their own? Do you know how a mother's life changes after having such a baby? (fathers tend to disappear from such imperfect picture here in like 90%). Do something about that! That should be the mother's choice!
So sad you turned this adorable post into a reason to bash abortion
Load More Replies...
Aaaw adorable!!!! The kids seemed to have such a blast!!!! And those props are so cute!! ❤️
This is super awesome! I have a few friends with Down syndrome, and I know that they would be super ecstatic over something like this.
Yup. Too cute for words! I honestly can't say which is my favorite because they're ALL my favorite!
Their smiles made me smile. I'm still smiling. Their joy is so infectious.
Load More Replies... Yeah but that poor baby... NG tubes are so uncomfortable. Hope he is well enough to have them out soon
Load More Replies... This is awesome!! People with Down syndrome make the world a more beautiful place!
Nice! I have worked with people with downs syndrome & -have friends with downs syndrome. Each unique!
I loved all of them so much! My favorite was the Aladdin one they were so cute! But they all were so adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my goodness this great and beautiful!!!😍😍😍😍😍. My granddaughter is 8 and also has down syndrome, she is the right of my life!!!!
Darling, darling, darling. Loved these precious joyous children. Belle was especially lovely.
These photographs are absolutely amazing! What You did with these children and the way You took the time and effort to make these photos soooo good! The children are near and dear to My heart, because I had a Sister, who just passed in Dec. 2018, that had Down Syndrome. She would have been 50 yrs. old this year! I miss Johnnie every single day, but I know what an amazing and God given person She was!!!🙏🏽😞🙏🏽😍
Fantastic photography allowing the children to be themselves. Well done 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Wow, this is so awesome! People like this photographer and these kids have God on their side
How about that for awareness: there are governments in (seemingly) civilized countries in the middle of Europe that want to tell you that you have to give birth and take care of child like this, that this is your f...ing responsibility and does not care whether you are able and fit to do it and will not help you with it. The kids in pictures do look adorable. But do you know that only the top couple percent of people born with Downs Syndrome will be able to ever live on their own? Do you know how a mother's life changes after having such a baby? (fathers tend to disappear from such imperfect picture here in like 90%). Do something about that! That should be the mother's choice!
So sad you turned this adorable post into a reason to bash abortion
Load More Replies...
215
50