Both in life and in photographic practices, I am looking for ways to organize or isolate details. In life, this means that I like to eat my Skittles in order of color or that my foods don’t touch on my dinner plate. In my work, this can manifest in forms that line up and repeat themselves in a composition, or sometimes this means that I am looking to highlight a single element in the photographic frame and encourage the viewer to see it as significant. I often spend my time searching and waiting rather than constructing my work in a studio. I do not spend a great amount of time in post-production, but rather focus on getting the image just right in the moment in which I am taking it. I prefer to photograph naturally occurring situations and translate them into something significant. These are often moments many most might consider ordinary, but I strive to portray them in such a way as to capture their beauty and noteworthiness.

This set of images truly embodies my photographic and artistic goals. The photos themselves are from my first solo international trip. When traveling, even the best of artists can fall into the trap of being awed by their surroundings. This awe can sometimes result in “touristy” images, something which I vehemently fought against while taking my own photos. Searching and waiting becomes even more important when others surround you with cameras and smart phones snapping millions of pictures. My focus was to present the cities of Rome, Florence and Venice to my friends and family back home as if they were walking the streets with me. Now, I want to go beyond that and share my experiences and vision with all that I can. I am inspired by the process and the products of film photography. I love the grain and texture of darkroom prints which influenced my presentation of these digital images.

I want my photographs to beg the viewer to create a story about the subject pictured or yearn to be standing where the photo was taken. I love the idea that these captured moments could have been unimportant to the casual passerby but are made noteworthy once their detail is celebrated. Each of my photographs was taken in a seemingly insignificant moment, but it is these moments that come together to make up the experience of a vibrant city. I hope that these images both accurately portray my travels and elicit a yearning to experience Italy.