About
What are you currently working on? Is there any project you would like to share with us?
Almost a month ago, my close friend, Jaysa Jordan, and I curated a show called “At Home”. It was a two-day exhibition where we invited artists to explore what it means to belong, carry, and create the idea of home. The show took place in an empty apartment, transforming the space into a temporary gallery for collective reflection. Besides the exhibition, I have also been working on a continuing project that deals with God, grief, and connection. This involves self-portraits, curated still lives, and photographing in places of worship. Reflecting on my earliest work in college, I have always found it carries themes of spirituality, grief, connection, and love.
If yes, what inspired the creation of this project?
The inspiration for “At Home” was connecting my own upbringing and nostalgia for it. I wanted to recreate what was once my home, as time is fleeting and memory is forever.
How did you first get introduced to photography?
As a child, I would spend hours going through my mom’s family albums. I loved the texture the images held, being all analog and dating back to the 1950s. That’s also how I was introduced to many of my late relatives and traced their stories through the photographs and through my mom’s memories. Years later, I was gifted one of my father’s old cameras and began shooting mostly nature scenes before moving on to portraits of my friends and family.
Can you describe your creative process?
I think photography is a very ritualistic practice, any art medium is, but especially photography. I like walking and sitting down for a while and just listening to my heart if I can focus enough. After meditating, and once I hear “it,” I run and gather and write and talk, and plan and do. Sometimes working on a project can be an overwhelming feeling of grief. I try to pray, and sometimes that results in me going to a church or a quiet place to just sit and cry. As artists, we need that quiet place to drown out all the noise. When I allow myself that space, I find inspiration in the strangest places.
What place does analog or alternative photography occupy in your life? Is it part of your work or more of a hobby?
If I could shoot everything on 4x5 film, I absolutely would. While I appreciate the convenience of digital cameras, nothing compares to the care and patience required for film. I love shooting 4x5 because the process is slow and deliberate, and it can be frustrating at times. I become almost obsessive, checking focus repeatedly and making sure the exposure is just right. Even when the camera shifts slightly while loading a film holder, I’ve learned to trust the process, and most of the time it works out.
Are there any artists who have left a significant impact on your life and work? This could be someone from the past or someone currently influential.
Absolutely, David Lynch. I was first introduced to his work through Twin Peaks. I remember watching it for the first time and thinking, How can I get to that place and create art like this? If you haven’t seen his YouTube video on transcendental meditation, I highly recommend it. During my freshman year workshop class, Algis Balsys introduced me to Joel Peter Witkin. Witkin's work inspired me to pick up large-format film and to spend more time with my still lifes and portraiture. I’m also deeply influenced by Francesca Woodman, Anaïs Nin, and Jonas Mekas, all of whom have shaped the way I think about art, identity, and the act of creating itself.
How do you engage with the film development or enlargement process? If you work in another type of printing, please share details about it.
I don’t care much for developing 35mm film, but working with 4x5 large-format film is both the most relaxing and the most stressful experience for me. I refuse to use a developing tank. After one failed attempt with a Paterson multi-reel system that left me with a half-developed image, I never went back. Instead, I prefer the old-school method, setting up in complete darkness with four metal boxes and a high-volume timer. There’s something exhilarating about being completely immersed in that dark space, counting in my head alongside the timer, and waiting to see what emerges.
How do you perceive the differences between analog and digital photography? When do you choose one over the other?
I’m not much of a fan of editing in Photoshop, so film is easier for me at the end of the day. The colors I want are already present in the negatives, and once I import them into Lightroom, I usually only need to make a few small adjustments. There is nothing like the excitement of finishing a roll of film and patiently waiting to see the images. I use digital primarily when shooting events for work.