WOMEN IN MY LIFE
I started this work for one simple reason - because I have been wanting to for years, and was always afraid to. I was afraid of not being good enough at large format photography, or portraits. I was afraid of the work not being taken seriously, or not being conceptual enough within academic circles. But when I sat down, and had an honest conversation with a mentor, she asked me this: " What would happen if you made something for you, that had nothing to do with achieving, but has everything to do with bringing you joy."
And so I began.
I made a list of the women in my life; new friends, old friends, family, and teachers. I started reaching out and asking them if me photographing them on 4x5 film would be something they would be okay with, and they all said yes. I had a couple requirements, but my main goal was to photograph these women selfishly - to remember them, as a record, and as a collaborative remnant of their lives.
I asked each of the women to do the following:
- Pick your clothes with intention - what makes you feel the most like yourself?
- Pick a location to be photographed in that makes you feel comfortable, safe, or reflects something meaningful to you.
- Contemplate the following question, and write a response that you will give to me. Thinking about this time in your life, what is something that you want to remember - even if it is difficult?
I have always loved creating collections and personal archives in my work. Perhaps it is a way that I deal with my anxieties of not knowing what will happen in the future, or being a witness to moments in life that I don't want to forget. In this space I can create my own evidence of a life in which I was lucky enough to cross paths with these women. It is a way to give them some autonomy in how they are seen. It is a way to leave behind a physical piece of themselves in the form of a large negative, so their image can be seen in detail by their children, their nieces, their friends. Maybe these images will get sold at an estate sale once I die, or get lost in some thrift store, or hopefully kept safe and passed down. All I know is that I want to remember them. I want them to remember too.
This project is not over. It will most likely continue the rest of my life.
I started this work for one simple reason - because I have been wanting to for years, and was always afraid to. I was afraid of not being good enough at large format photography, or portraits. I was afraid of the work not being taken seriously, or not being conceptual enough within academic circles. But when I sat down, and had an honest conversation with a mentor, she asked me this: " What would happen if you made something for you, that had nothing to do with achieving, but has everything to do with bringing you joy."
And so I began.
I made a list of the women in my life; new friends, old friends, family, and teachers. I started reaching out and asking them if me photographing them on 4x5 film would be something they would be okay with, and they all said yes. I had a couple requirements, but my main goal was to photograph these women selfishly - to remember them, as a record, and as a collaborative remnant of their lives.
I asked each of the women to do the following:
- Pick your clothes with intention - what makes you feel the most like yourself?
- Pick a location to be photographed in that makes you feel comfortable, safe, or reflects something meaningful to you.
- Contemplate the following question, and write a response that you will give to me. Thinking about this time in your life, what is something that you want to remember - even if it is difficult?
I have always loved creating collections and personal archives in my work. Perhaps it is a way that I deal with my anxieties of not knowing what will happen in the future, or being a witness to moments in life that I don't want to forget. In this space I can create my own evidence of a life in which I was lucky enough to cross paths with these women. It is a way to give them some autonomy in how they are seen. It is a way to leave behind a physical piece of themselves in the form of a large negative, so their image can be seen in detail by their children, their nieces, their friends. Maybe these images will get sold at an estate sale once I die, or get lost in some thrift store, or hopefully kept safe and passed down. All I know is that I want to remember them. I want them to remember too.
This project is not over. It will most likely continue the rest of my life.
