Narrative in Photography Final
I will share my thoughts on the class and my first quarter at Photo Center Northwest another time. For now, I only want to focus on my final, because it was so personal and challenging. Throughout the quarter, Dannielle had been kind enough to help me out with many different photo shoots for class, so it was only appropriate for us to collaborate on the final project.
It was the hardest photo shoot I have ever done. Technically, the lack of good lighting made things difficult, but that did not compare to the level of emotional investment necessary for this project.
We had been kicking the idea of using her ex-boyfriend in a project around for a little while and I told her early on that she had to be emotionally invested in these shoots to get the best photos, especially because we were telling her own story. I just had no idea how much her story would affect me as well.
A few details to keep in mind before I show the project:
- Her ex-boyfriend is in the first photo. Props to him for being willing to take part!
- The snapshots of them are real. She went through her files and printed them on the spot, reminded of the good times along the way.
Here is the final project:
The End?
The premise of this series of photos is to build off the life stories of my friend, Dannielle, using props to cue visual expression of key events. In this instance, we focused on her recent break up with her long-time boyfriend.
Relationships are not always everlasting fairytales. Sometimes we feel trapped, like a bird in a cage. The love for one another no longer has room to flourish. We can see the end as we frantically and tirelessly look for the start. A moment we hope to return to before it is too late.
As we sift through the debris for signs of life, we are reminded of our best moments. Why we started this crazy journey in the first place. We always wanted the best for the other person, and, in a strange twist to our story, we discover the end is actually the beginning.
We just have to let them go.
- Matthew Nienhuis