“I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.”
Maya Angelou
This project was so refreshing! I haven’t had homework in a long time.
I challenged myself to take a course at the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center this year. “Personal Narratives” is taught by Nicole Schwartz and is meant to explore documentary photography focused on the creator.
Not only was I interested in a new creative endeavor, but I thought it would be great practice to take a class myself since I began teaching this year. There’s nothing like putting yourself in your students’ shoes to develop an effective curriculum!
Below, I’m sharing the images from our first assignment. The instructions were to respond to the following questions with images. I chose to focus on hands as I gear up for my next documentary project, where I will be exploring intimacy through touch.
Who are you?
What did you look like as a child?
What is your main character trait?
What inspires you the most?
What do you normally never take a photo of?
What do you love about photography?
What is the first thing you touch in the morning?
What is the meaning of life?
I haven’t worked on a personal project since college! I graduated from Temple University in 2017, where I was the President of Aperture Photo Agency. We used to do more experimental work like this all the time. I am SO EXCITED to be working on something for my own pleasure. Projects like these help to reignite the joy in my work.
I hope you enjoy.