Catrin Osborne: A Portrait of the Menopause

A Portrait of the Menopause presents a collection of photographs of women who are experiencing or have experienced the menopause, along with their related stories, insights and recollections. In doing so, it aims to dispel the misconceptions and stigma that surround this significant but rarely discussed chapter in a woman's life. Inspired by the difficult experiences of the book's creator, Catrin Osborne, and her desire to connect and share with others, the publication was born out of Osbourne's initial efforts to research and explore the subject with others and the subsequent touring exhibition of her photography. The book addresses the question "what does the menopause look like?" with a series of 80 photographic portraits and accompanying interviews from as wide a cross section of participants as possible. Each subject was photographed in their "happy place" and asked to talk about the positives and negatives of their menopause experience - a journey that has, for so long, been hidden and deemed shameful by many - in the hope of cultivating a greater understanding of what others face or have already been through.