Britain's Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, has helped choose 100 final images from more than 31,000 submissions made to Hold Still, a photography project she launched in May to capture a snapshot of the nation in coronavirus lockdown.

The community project organized by the National Portrait Gallery invited people of all ages from across Britain to submit a photographic portrait they had taken during the COVID-19 lockdown that started in March.

Carried out over a six-week period, the initiative aimed to document the spirit and mood of the country during the lockdown.

The 100 images chosen by Kate and a panel of judges will feature in a digital exhibition launching on Sept. 14.

Focused on three main themes: Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness, some of the photographs will also go on show in towns and cities across Britain later in the year.

The panel assessed the images on the emotions and experiences they convey rather than on their photographic quality or technical expertise.

"I've been so overwhelmed by the public's response to Hold Still, the quality of the images has been extraordinary, and the poignancy and the stories behind the images have been equally as moving as well," said Kate, wife of Prince William and a keen photographer herself.

 

(LONDON (Reuters) - Reporting by Stephen Addison; Editing by Helen Popper)