Abstract nominee

My interest in photography has always been grounded in the joy of exploration and discovery. This has been the case ever since I first began doing nature photography in the woods of Maine, and has continued on into my studio work in this series. With the use of food coloring and water, I create scenes whose phenomena of color and form are uncovered with moving light over a long exposure. Using this technique, every image becomes a unique composite of light and time, creating something beyond that which can be naturally seen. In this way, the camera becomes as much a tool of exploration as it is a tool of documentation, allowing for a glimpse into these other worlds. With these images, I work to evoke the vibrant environments of worlds both unimaginably wondrous and reminiscent of our own.

After growing up with social anxiety, I have used photography both as a tool for self-expression as well as a coping mechanism. My photography has always been very meditative, both in process and in the often clean, controlled photographs that I gravitate towards. Initially, I tried to use photography to connect with people I otherwise wouldn't be able to, primarily through street photography and portraiture, however, as I soon realized that wasn't feasible at the time, I began to focus on nature photography in the quiet woods of Maine. Through this early work I developed a love for both macro photography as well as techniques like painting with light, both of which are key elements of my current studio work. Although my work has changed dramatically since my early days of nature photography, I have maintained the same quiet, contemplative process and love of the minute that first spoke to me. In the following six years, I have been an exhibitor in the Maine State Photography Show and a finalist in the Photographer's Forum Annual High School and College Photography Competition. I am now a photography major at Bennington College as well as the college's primary dance and communications photographer.