A PHOTOGRAPHY student captured on camera one of the best-known British subcultures – and discovered just how misunderstood they are on a working visit to Hereford.

Tia Lloyd, 20, decided to explore the world of ‘skinheads’ for a project in her third-year at Staffordshire University.

Some automatically associate ‘skinheads’ with right-wing ideology and violence – the shaved head became a signature look for Neo-Nazi youths in Europe from the 1990s – but, for many in the 1960s and later in the 1980s, it was about a sense of belonging, good music and good friends.

It was far removed from any fascist beliefs that were later adopted – and that is exactly what Tia discovered during her project.

She said: “I walked away completely in shock really because you walk into a pub full of skinheads and might initially think it’s quite intimidating but I have never felt so welcomed before in my life.”

Tia worked closely with the Hereford Scooter Club and was full of praise for her amateur models.

She said: “I have honestly never met such a welcoming group of people. For them not to even know me and invite me down and allow me to photograph them was amazing.”

She added that there is always an element of self-reflection in her photography and said she hopes to continue to build relationships in her future work."