I Don't Think We're in Kansas Any More

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

USA | Thursday, July 4, 2013 | 5 photos

I started learning photography in middle school. We were taught how to use film camera's, which I continued to learn throughout high school and still use now, and eventually I made a leap to video work, which I study at the Rhode Island School of Design as a FAV (film/video/animation) Major. Occasionally I find some of my first photos. Like you might expect they're awful. They're photos of trash cans, and hallways, and the surrounding blocks of my school. While they're terrible, they make me think of something important; to not ignore whats around me. Often I'll idealize the perfect place to shoot; its far beyond my city. I see the same thing all the time with myself and others who want to give back; the altruistic who travel half way around the word to help someone, and while it's admirable, the places in front of our eyes can often get neglected. For example I live in Rhode Island, one of the highest states of unemployment in the country. I bring this up because I hope to use film and photography to tell stories that can make a difference in people's lives, starting with those around me. I'm interested in making work that's honest, vulnerable, and tells a story.