Capturing Community

Capturing Community is an ongoing photo essay with an emphasis on sharing stories about individuals who are underrepresented in mainstream culture and the arts. I am an artist who wishes to use photography as a mechanism to advocate for and inspire social change. I photograph in the outskirts of major metropolitan cities, such as Compton in Los Angeles, California, to capture the lives and essences of underserved and underrepresented communities -like youth, women, and immigrants. My goal is to share people’s stories and connect diverse communities, creating a pathway for conversation, compassion, and understanding. I photograph individuals who do not fit neatly into a mold in order to give a voice and face to people marginalized in mainstream society. Individuals who are on the periphery of society - socially, economically, or racially. I am interested in documenting the transitions inherent in gentrification and human relationships through a practice of portraiture and an exploration of the evolving urban and natural landscape. Exploring identity in people’s environments has been an ongoing theme in my photography. Often my work is an extended study of people throughout years, including the portrait series with photographs of friends and strangers. Individuals are depicted in intimate environments, such as their homes and neighborhoods. In many cases, the subject may be a stranger I met by chance and the photographic encounter only our second meeting. Therefore, an exchange of trust and risk is necessary for both parties.