Sophia Brusch

With this project I wanted to capture my friends before we all leave for college. The two people that I photographed have been my friends since elementary and middle school. I wanted to capture our time together as an end to this chapter in our lives. I thought the best photo technique for this project would be long exposure. It is very versatile and has a soft nostalgic feeling in the photographs. While it is an end to a chapter does not mean that the story is finished.

The portraits of my friends alone are how I see them. Both have a bold presence but in different ways. The way they express themselves is an insight into their personalities. The bold red hair with a jacket covered in bright pins is balanced with a rich but soft background. This photo portrayed my thoughts of them when they are alone and have stepped back from their bright bubbly personality. The photo of my other friend looking off to the side captures the warm energy that she exudes. The soft lights created from the long exposure help to blend the contrast from the dark night and her blonde hair.

When the close up portraits are meant to show personality, the photos of them further away, show how they are in the world. The one inside is supposed to show the overwhelming presence of time rushing around and past her. On the other side, the photo outside is showing how they are making a spot for themselves. I wanted to capture the lives of my friends separately because that is just as important as when we hang out together.

The photos of them together are meant to show the present moment, but also the present slipping into memory. As the sky darkens, their faces are getting blurrier as well. The sharpness of the first photo is to show them still focused on the moment. In the next photo the sun has set yet there is still some light in the sky. The faces are still recognizable but the effects of time are softening them. The last photo was taken at night. Here the presence of my friends is still recognizable however “nostalgia” has taken effect and makes them more into a memory than fully present.