Photographer Lauren Mincher captured the cheeky, mischievous character of her granddad, Bernard Purvis. “My granddad is seventy, going on seventeen. He has never matured, always thinking he is ‘down with the kids’. He is the veritable Peter Pan, which I think is the quality that most people, including myself, admire the most. My favourite memories of my granddad are of him attending formal occasions dressed in a posh suit and tie, accompanied by worn, old sport trainers.” Photograph: Lauren Mincher
Photographer Georgia Frances Morris captured the playful spirit of her granddad in this shot of him peeking out from behind a tree. “My grandfather has a great sense of fun and loves to get up to mischief. This photo really captures his playful spirit and challenges the stereotype too many people have that older people are dull or boring.” Photograph: Georgia Morris
Photographer Alice Moneypenny captures the world as viewed through her grandfather’s eyes. For Alice the photograph celebrates old age because she “wanted to look at the world through my grandpa’s eyes, at a vision tinted by 82 years of experience. I believe that we can learn a great deal from older generations from the ups and downs of everyday life in the 1950s to values still central in our lives today.” Photograph: Alice Moneypenny
“Totlyn Jackson, an Independent Age Beneficiary, once performed for US President Kennedy, and is still as lively and theatrical as ever. In this photograph she is showing Independent Age volunteer Ruth Bateson some of the costumes she has collected over her career, and sharing some of her adventures.” Photograph: James Bell
Amy Wilson’s photograph captures her parents and was inspired by Philippe Halsman’s jumpology series. “I wanted to show a sense of youth and demonstrate that older people are still young at heart and full of life which challenges the ‘boring’ stereotypes often used to describe them.” Photograph: Amy Wilson
Photographer Charolotte Loh captured her Aiya listening to her ipod. “Words cannot describe how my Aiya inspires me. His outstanding ability to achieve goals at 82 is astonishing. From lifting weights to travelling to and from China, he nevers stops doing the things he loves. He shows that elders can still live their lives and are not tedious to be around. I love my granddad, he is still young at heart. My Aiya, my hero.” Photograph: Charlotte Loh
Photographer Holly Smith captured her granddad as he sat laughing in the sunshine. “My grandparents’ attitude to life has united the generations of my family and we have all witnessed their zest for life growing stronger with age. These points alone display how they break the stereotypical mould, making them more beautiful people.” Photograph: Holly Smith
Photographer Katherine Louise Burden’s photo ‘Peekabo’ shows her grandmother peering through foliage in her garden, “My grandma has always been brilliant fun. I will always treasure the games my sister and I used to play with her during the summer when we were growing up.” Photograph: Public Domain
Photographer Leticia Valverdes took this photograph in which she recognises that “in a time when youth is glorified and valued as an indispensible asset, to get old is increasingly harder.” For Leticia, photographing older women is her way of “looking inwards and to the future. Looking at what is inevitable to any of us. Getting old.” Photograph: Leticia Valverdes
Nadia Townsend’s photograph captures her subject Ray as he sits thoughtfully looking out across the lake he spends so much time at. For Nadia, the photograph celebrates old age as “many older people have a place they can go to where they can sit and think quietly. Older people can teach us a lot about life and people should listen to what they have to say.” Photograph: Nadia Townshend
Photographer Natasha Smith captured her granddad dancing with his umbrella in the garden. For Natasha, the photograph celebrates old age “because you see he is an older person who is carrying on living his life happily, no matter what age he is.” Photograph: Natasha Smith
“Peggy is a very beautiful lady, who used to be a prima ballerina with the London Ballet Company in pre-war Germany in the late 1930s. People forget that the older generation were young once and have probably led more exciting, challenging lives than we lead today.” Photograph: ANNIE ARMITAGE/Annie Armitage
At 62 years of age John Richardson now runs exercise classes four nights a week at his local gym having previously worked as a miner and engineering fitter. Photograph: Ray Timlin
Photographer Rebecca Witt captured her great-grandfather Jimmy in an image that captures details of his history as a woodsman. For Rebecca, the photograph celebrates old age and bringing generations together because her grandfather “would talk to a number of people through all generations. He was warm, friendly and best of all, my grandfather.” Photograph: Rebecca Witt
A vibrant individual, known for her shock of black hair throughout her eighty-three years. This picture celebrates old age as it shows that the older generation still has an appetite for fun. This shows through the photograph that my Nan, Poppy, was willing to wear a contemporary pair of "geek glasses" without any hesitation and enjoyed doing so. Photograph: Ruby Kirby
After 15 years at the Royal Ballet in Covent Garden, much of that as a soloist, Christine Beckley moved from dancing to teaching. Now at 70 she continues to inspire and nurture ballet’s next generation, drawing on her world class experience and enduring passion. It was through this legacy that photographer Uzo Oleh met Christine, when a current student recommended her as the epitome of this exhibition's theme. Photograph: Uzo Oleh
When photographer Uzo Oleh first met Tony in Brick Lane he radiated a boldness and sense of self that was inspiring, defying the expectation of his years. Uzo found in photographing Tony that his tattoos were merely extensions of his identity as opposed to its source. For Uzo, Tony is living proof that you don't have to disappear into old age. Photograph: Uzo Oleh
Photographer Annie Armitage captures the writer John Elsom in his study with books, papers, cards of artists’ work and his statue of Max Wall around him. “John is ageless! But he has charisma, great knowledge and intelligence and doesn’t consider himself to be retired. I wanted to portray how busy John is and how is continuing to set new goals for himself.” Photograph: Annie Armitage
