conversations

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop 2024 Summer Internship Project

My project titled “Conversations” was both an artistic challenge and a personal challenge that I decided to take on this summer. Since I am a big fan of portrait photography, I decided to center my project around taking pictures of strangers and focusing on how both my camera and my interactions with people can influence the final image.

 This also proved to be a social challenge for me since I am not always keen on talking to random people on the street, especially when most are skeptical of getting their photo taken. The project compiles photos taken in DC, New York City, and Japan. Most of the time, when I walk down the street, I have no desire to draw attention to myself, and this project forced me to do the exact opposite. Approaching strangers is not part of my usual day-to-day life as both an introvert and a woman living in a big city, and getting over my normal tendency to want to remain invisible was probably the most difficult part of this project. This quote from a prominent female street photographer, Elizabeth Char, encouraged me heavily during the duration of this project: 

 “Don’t be afraid; you are a woman, and this is an advantage. People are more compliant with women. Go out, shoot, and smile.”