Senior Project
Artist Statement
For me photography has been a way to connect with people in a more intimate way. It is through photography that I have found a way to bond with my friends, family and a variety of people in my community. I have found that sparking conversation with subjects during my photo-shoots makes them feel comfortable. I ask them questions about their lives and it is their responses whether brief or long that have a strong emotional impact in the way I continue the photo session. There are many things that change during these conversations. The subject either adjusts their body language or their facial expression changes drastically. It is these personal moments that I have chosen to base my senior seminar project on. The strong emotions expressed during these moments tend to be very familiar expressions for many people, although the story behind the expression is a mystery. For some of these photos the subjects are holding objects that have a significant meaning to them. I did this because in many cases the story itself may not elicit an immediate emotional or intellectual response, but the object does. With this series I have brought to light different cultures and personalities. I hope the audience can connect with the subjects and read their stories through these photographs.
