Portrait photographer Fran Monks realised the technique of taking pictures of people over Zoom video calls had found its moment when the first lockdown happened last March.

With many commissions postponed and people confined to their homes, she had started photographing subjects from all over the world over the internet when she became fascinated by the idea of creating portraits of vaccine trial volunteers.

She wanted to celebrate their contribution to solving the health crisis.

She said: “I’ve always tried to photograph people doing impressive things and whose stories aren’t being told. I thought, the scientists are being celebrated but without the participants in the trials we wouldn’t have the vaccines.”

She found her subjects through word of mouth and an appeal on social media. She was also helped by a medical school in the States.

She explained the process and how she directed the shoots from afar.

“We had a chat first and then they showed me around the space. Based on the light, I tried to frame the subject as best as I could. There are lots of constraining factors – mainly bandwidth – so it’s a bit hit and miss.

“I loved it. I was not as in control as I normally would be and you have to communicate really well but it was usually quite funny, we were usually laughing.

“I was usually shouting ‘That way, that way’ as they propped up their device but people were usually good natured and with people at home they had more time for it.”

Once the subject was composed she then photographed her computer monitor.

Alongside the portraits Fran gathered stories from the volunteers.

Kate, from Oxford, is on the Novavax vaccine trial. She once had a problem with alcohol and drug misuse and she sees taking part in the trial as an opportunity to do something for the benefit of society. Kate remembers that people still caught Polio when she was a child, and appreciates the role of vaccines in eradicating that disease. "Vaccines are amazing" she says.

Kate is 61 and so she is reassured to think that there is a 50/50 chance she has already been vaccinated.

Nick is an academic at Oxford University specializing in English Literature and is on the Oxford Astra Zeneca trial. Last year he had to do weekly swabs to see if he was Covid 19 positive.

During the first lockdown he was involved in local food banks and helping vulnerable people and signing up seemed like another way to help.

Guillaume meanwhile is a post doc researcher at Oxford University and is on the Novavax trial. Even though his work involves assessing the effectiveness of cancer drugs, he had never participated in a medical trial himself.

He says he is surprised how positively people have responded to him being on the trial – his family are really proud and keep telling everyone what he is doing.

To view the full collection, go to franmonks.com