The Lives of Others

Shooting black and white film with my 8” by 10” camera, I let my subjects (or their parents) choose the subjects and help arrange the shoot. I used a lens for a 4” by 5” camera on my 8” by 10” which created a strong wide-angle effect on the film, resulting in a circular image. Photos from an 8” by 10” camera tend to be more formal or posed, and often not fresh or spontaneous. By using an unconventional lens, I was able to include the environment/space where the shoot was happening and also the sidelines of people of all ages watching the shoot or doing other things. There's a strong sense of community with mothers chatting with each other in some photos, or standing sternly at the side of the photo, arms crossed, in others.