I started spending hours photographing myself and manipulating them in photoshop from a very young age. The objective of this never was or is for egotistical purposes, but is for me to understand how to tap into emotion. Like an actor or model who may draw on memories to evoke certain behaviors and expressions, I became a model in my own right- for the sake of self-expression. This is also a way I grew to better understand who I am, and when reflecting on these images I see myself in different lights, and notice specific themes and connections in my portraits. Some images hint at isolation and abnormality, while others reflect joy and silence. I learned to work with the basic lighting of my surroundings and utilize my home and my furniture as a studio. As my photography evolves, I still find myself conceptualizing imaged that I can bring to life regardless of a model being present or not and I am so thankful that I have these images from such a preliminary yet pivotal marker in my life to reflect upon and share it with you.