I am a photographer interested in documenting the complexity of human experience—specifically queer experiences, minority experiences, and the contradictions of American identity. Through my work and projects, I explore my own relationship with the philosophy of humanism and whether its belief in positive, universal connection accurately defines how humans relate to each other.
Because I believe that all photos are subjective, I embrace the influence and collaborative nature of photography, creating photos that imprint my point of view alongside that of the subject. I choose to photograph primarily on film to enhance the process of making a photo. With a limited number of frames per roll, the stakes for identifying the right image become greater. This makes the collaborative process that reveals the right image as important as the image itself.
Many things shape my own complex identity: being a queer, first generation Filipino American, growing up in rural West Texas, studying politics and international relations in the UK, and my experiences working in publishing as a journalist and photographer.
