‘In the Shadow of the Rose’ is a response to my relationship with my hometown, St. Austell. It reflects the lack of connection I feel to the place, shaped by my life developing away from distant childhood memories. Through my desire to create, I use photography to recognise and explore these complex emotions, while also expressing St. Austell’s own sense of restlessness and hope, seen through the eyes of Cornish youth. The project seeks to reveal the town’s fragile balance between progression and decline, capturing subtle moments that offer a glimpse into the everyday monotony and stagnant silence.