Featured in WARM BROS MAGAZINE issue 4 (2021)

Self-expression in the age of social media is all about having the ability to curate how you want the world to see you. The artist and subject become one: they take numerous photographs of themselves with varying composition and expression, before choosing one or two to post. There is no wait time in producing today’s selfie, and total control over the result is inherent; the individual has complete power over how their followers view them. 

Beginning when I was 19 years old, I carried a disposable camera around with me to ask friends, family, acquaintances, and lovers if they would take a chance and capture themselves with significantly less control than they are used to. I would hesitantly pull out my camera, briefly describe the project and stipulate that the only guideline was that the photo had to be taken vertically (in order for there to be a uniformity to the final collection). A significant amount of people said no, and some who said yes were noticeably uncomfortable during the experience. Though most were happy and curious to participate. The result of around seven years of collecting these photos is 100 selfies that are imperfect yet full of unique character and energy. Some of the photos are comically off in composition and/or lighting, some show visible discomfort in the subject, and in one, the subject isn’t visible at all (she tried getting creative by shooting through a party decoration). I view these 100 photos as visual documentation of the people I’ve encountered over the last seven years of my life. From Los Angeles to Orange County to Fresno to Boston to New York City to Nashville and back to Los Angeles, I look at this collection and am reminded of each location, as specific and brimming with its own energy as the photos taken there. Some of the subjects are people I speak to everyday, some are people I spoke to one time, but every photo is special to me. Although this project was an experiment in asking people to forfeit control over the result of their expression, it now also serves as a celebration of individuality and the here and now.