2026 is the new 2016
This photograph reminds me of Irving Penn’s Small Trades series, except I guess her trade is Professional Baby.
In 2016, I photographed my first studio portraits, and fell in love with the medium. There’s something raw about the setup that allows you to capture a person’s essence when the rest of the chaotic world is stripped away. That year, I spent every weekend tinkering around in the photo studio at school with borrowed equipment, inviting friends, strangers, and even actual models to come sit for me.
Fortunately, my naive dreams of pursuing professional photography didn’t come to fruition, allowing me to keep my art to myself. I developed other creative hobbies but always kept my camera in my back pocket, looking for an opportunity to create fine art.
Who would’ve guessed that ten years later, while the world embraces a collective nostalgia for 2016, I’d find myself revisiting this hobby again, with my own lighting equipment and a brand new muse.
Who would’ve guessed that ten years later, while the world embraces a collective nostalgia for 2016, I’d find myself revisiting this hobby again.