For this assignment, I wanted to take pictures of creative women that inspire me in my everyday life. I shot my cousin, Lily, because while she isn't a visual artist, she is an amazing writer and activist. She inspires me everyday with her empathy and deep understanding of the world around her. In these photos she is posing in our grandma's backyard where we would play when we were young. In order to get her to warm up to the camera, I played music by Bruno Mars. I noticed that when people aren't super comfortable around a camera, the best thing to get them to smile and be comfortable is to crack a joke or play their favorite music.
iO Soucy
The next person I shot was my best friend iO, who is an amazing musician and artist. Compared to the other two sets of portraits, most of iO's portraits are backlit. I did this on purpose to get a slight natural grow on her red hair. iO is one of the most inspiring people I know and just recently got glasses. In these portraits, I wanted to show both iO's goofy side and serious artist side.
Catherine Small
The final artist that I shot was Catherine, who is a studio artist and is going to UofM STAMPS next year. I decided to shoot in downtown home and gardens with her because while she doesn't have a green thumb, she is always growing as an artist and keeping it fresh. She inspires me with her original ideas, amazing style, and her passion for helping others. I ran into a couple difficulties shooting in this location due to the patches of sunlight and the cramped area with plants, but I think the end result was worth it.