People over 25 grew up accustomed to playing outdoors and out of sight of their parents. In contrast, today’s teenagers are more likely to stay indoors and do their interaction and exploration via the internet and social networks.

Italian photographer Stefano Giogli takes us into the private spaces of a selection of teenagers in his interesting collection entitled “L’unico ad essere diverso sei tu” (The only one who’s different is you) which I saw at this year’s Savignano Immagini Festival.

Giogli wants to present a more optimistic perspective on young adults than you tend to get via the media. He says: “I wanted to debunk the negative view that adults often have of teenagers as disinterested, all alike, without dreams or expectations.”

His pictures show young men and women, mostly alone, surrounded by their  possessions and in spaces that reflect the diversity of personalities. Some are stark while others seem positively luxurious. Many have written slogans on the wall (or, in one case, on the windows) or have assembled a highly personal collection of images cut from magazines.

The young guy in the photo above suggests that living in clutter can give a sense of comfort.

The subjects of Giogli’s pictures are all fortunate in having a private space in which they can be themselves and have somewhere they can go to think, read, listen, write, play or make music.  They may not be exploring an outdoor environment but the photographs illustrate that having a ‘room of one’s own’ is a vital way to express individuality.

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