woman jumping

Sitting on my bed in my flat in Croydon, South London, I turned on the TV—wall-to-wall coverage of the riots. I called Dave, my partner at WENN, and told him I was heading out. He gave me the usual safety talk. I listened, then ignored it.

Out on the streets, blending into the crowd became my advantage. I walked past looters, camera tucked close, then stopped among bystanders as chaos unfolded. Suddenly, someone shouted, “Someone’s jumping!” Instinct kicked in—I turned, raised the camera, and took the shot.

That night was heavily documented, but what stuck with me was calling Dave. I told him I had something special. His first response was flat—“Everyone’s having a bad night, just send it in.” Seconds after I did, he called back, shouting, “You’ve got it. That’s the frame. This is going on the front page everywhere.”

Those are the moments you chase as a photographer—the hours, the missed shots, the doubt. And then, finally, one frame cuts through it all, and the world stops to look.

Amy Weston Photographer, WENN, London Riots Woman Jumping - I own all rights to my images - copyright.