Warm Vicinity

These seventeen photographs are part of an ongoing project depicting the people closest to me and the spaces I consider most intimate, being put in direct conversation with people I have no relation to, or places I’m passing through briefly. I meticulously use line, light, and color to illuminate a multitude of environments, revealing different levels of intimacy between the subject and I. This is how I’m working to explore what connection means to me, consequently creating a grander notion of home.

The word “vicinity” means “the area near or surrounding a particular place.” These photographs were made in many different cities, climates, and times of year, yet I want them to feel as though they’re operating in the same “particular place”. I limit horizons and landmarks in my work to find unplaceable spaces at large. The oxymoron of implacability while having specificity is of great interest to this project. “Warm Vicinity” is the working title for this body of work, as the idea of warmth has been a driving force and source of comfort for my photographic practice as a whole. I work with 35mm and medium format film cameras, as they allow me to be thoughtful and resourceful when photographing a specific moment. The photos are shot mainly on Kodak Gold 200, a consumer film which has an exaggerated warm tonal range. This is one of the technical choices that has allowed me to find a unified color palette to bring together a variety of subject matter.

Film photography grants me the ability to go back to re-sort, re-process, and reconsider moments that I wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s the process of stepping back and being reminded of something from months ago that brings me great comfort. It’s like flipping a light switch on. I have love and admiration for every subject, whether that’s a walking stick on the sidewalk or a plate with finished food scraps from an intimate dinner with my partner's family. This is my forethought in making photographs, and I hope that the viewer can find beauty and appreciation in these depictions of unifying themes in everyday existence.

I'd be honored to continue this project in the autumn of 2023 in Landskrona, Sweden. I make many of my photographs on the street, and would love to find more overlooked vignettes in a place I've never been before. I'm interested in pushing myself to photographing more strangers, but also to make new friends and photograph them in spaces we'll make together. These methods of photographing inherently differ, but I'm curious as to how they'd intertwine and overlap when printed and put into conversation with one another.