Photography Projects

Pop culture, particularly through pop music, has often glamorized toxic relationships, perpetuating harmful ideals of love and romance. In songs, lyrics often romanticize possessiveness, jealousy, and manipulation, portraying them as passionate expressions of love. The normalization of these behaviors in popular media can distort perceptions of what constitutes a healthy relationship, leading teens and individuals from all over the world to tolerate and seek out toxic dynamics. This romanticization within the media is insanely harmful towards younger generations. Many of my peers and I have faced this type of affection which can severely damage both your self-image and how others perceive you. Under each photo is a song that I believe describes the feeling of the image and the feeling that certain relationships tend to have.
As a teenage girl who has navigated a toxic relationship, the journey has been transformative. Since I was little, I had seen many different relationships and was taught the rights and wrongs of a relationship; so I believed everyone else had. I have always believed love to be a fairytale of emotions. However, when I faced “romance” for the first time it was not a fairytale whatsoever. I was faced with constant manipulation and was always worried that I wasn’t good enough. I would be criticized for “my overthinking” and brought into dangerous situations. Rebuilding myself from the ruins of “toxic romance” has been a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. I've learned that love should never demand the sacrifice of one's dignity and happiness. Now, knowing what I know, I would never let anyone diminish my worth or dictate my value. With the help of my friends I have created a project that portrays how constant criticism, manipulation and gaslighting can be seen as something almost beautiful from an outside perspective. With this project I would like to bring awareness to the things me, teens, and adults, around the world struggle with from day to day.

In my project, I explore the interesting contradiction of how nature is used in architecture. The photos in this series show buildings alongside natural elements. However, I wanted to
highlight the difference between man-made architecture and nature itself. Architecture focuses on order, structure, and human control. Buildings are made to last, be practical, and serve specific purposes. In contrast, nature is messy, unpredictable, and always changing. In modern
architecture, we often see nature placed in controlled settings, like potted plants, gardens, or green walls. The goal is to incorporate nature into the building, but in a managed way. This creates tension between the wildness of nature and the rigidity of human design. With this work, I aim to show how nature is both part of and distinct from the built environment. The irony is that, despite our efforts to integrate nature into our constructed spaces, we can never fully capture its freedom and unpredictability. Through this project, I want to demonstrate how architecture attempts to make us feel connected to nature while actually controlling it, revealing that nature’s true essence can never be completely contained.

Unbalanced challenges the idea that symmetry equals perfection by featuring models with asymmetrical features. Whether from injury, aging, or congenital conditions. I highlight subtle, often overlooked differences in body parts, which are frequently sources of personal insecurity.
Born with ptosis, a drooping left eyelid, I've had two surgeries and plan a third this summer, as it has been my biggest insecurity. By including myself in this project, I confront my own insecurity and present it differently. While I haven't gained "confidence" in my ptosis, I have found comfort and acceptance. I now recognize that asymmetry is not a flaw, but a beautiful entity that has shaped who I am.