On loneliness

Most of us have felt lonely at some point in our lives. It’s a normal, universal emotion, and it’s on the rise. And yet so many of us find it hard to open up to others about it.

In 2023, The School of Life commissioned me to create a portrait photography book that aims to understand more about loneliness, and normalise talking about it. I spent the rest of that year photographing and talking to more than 50 people of all ages and backgrounds across the country.

My work on the book ‘On Loneliness,’ is finished, and it will be published on 6 November 2025. You can pre-order a copy here.

In the meantime, my project continues. So if you have a story to share about loneliness, whether you sometimes feel lonely now, or have done so in the past, please drop me a line at julia@juliahawkins.com.