Teenagers explore a changing world with their camera

How do social issues shape our lives?

A group of teenage photographers attempted to answer this question with their cameras. Each 14-to-18-year-old submitted a picture to the Economic and Social Research Council photographic competition encapsulating how the world is changing and how it affects them, their families, friends and communities as a whole.

The overall winner was 16-year-old Maddy Turner, with her portrait about diversity in the media.

In her image, she tries to highlight the inadequacies of representation of racial diversity in the media and fashion industries.

"This photograph shows how a lack of diversity can make people more self-conscious about their skin colour," she says.

Here are the other finalists' work.

Shaheena Uddin uses her hijab as a frame to convey the need to look beyond it to appreciate the teenage girl she is on the inside.

Coming from a rural area, Cameron Lawrence has experienced increasing pressures on the farming industry and hopes his photo captures the uncertainty of the future.

Leah Metcalfe photographed people gathering in St Anne's Square, Manchester, after last year's terrorist attack at Manchester Arena.

Sorren Harrison wanted to illustrate the difficulties autistic children experience and how the natural world can be a sanctuary.

Patrick Wilkinson found this dinghy on a Spanish beach, and tried to juxtapose the wreck with the beautiful sand as a comment on the refugee crisis.

"This image will show people that what is staring them in the face is a living creature that feels pain and deserves respect," says Gemma Espinosa.

Julia Koutas hopes a picture of fruit rotting on a plate can highlight the food from nature that remains uneaten.

While travelling through Thailand, Olivia Fernandes photographed the eye of this elephant in captivity, hoping to demonstrate the pain she believed it was suffering.

Florence Noon's image, More, More, More, tackles the issue of consumerism: she argues that wealth should be more evenly distributed.

Kitty Castledine hopes to express the stresses of teenage life, and the pressure of making life choices in a limited time.

Antonia Wilford's grandfather often tells her that he gets a shock when he sees himself in the mirror, as in his mind he is still young.

Teddie Summers won the social media category with his image of a Jewish memorial.

Virag-Angyalka Kiss photographed the detritus left over after a night out in a city centre. She believes that sobriety is the key to dealing with social issues.

All photographs courtesy of ESRC