Aliens are something that I have always believed in. As a child I remember having an experience of fascination and fear as I watched an episode of The X-Files with my parents. Although I have never experienced anything extra-terrestrial, I am still a firm believer that we are not the only intelligent life in the universe.

In my work I use photography to show extra-terrestrial ideas. Since aliens are such a mystery, I use photography as a way to show what could be happening around us. I think of these photographs as fictional evidence of alien life. This work was inspired by movies featuring extra-terrestrial life such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Fourth Kind, War of the Worlds, and Signs. I loosely recreate scenes from these movies and draw inspiration from their beautiful cinematography.

For this series I’m using photography as a way to create fictional photographic evidence of alien life. I want the viewers of this work question their beliefs on the topic. Since images can be so easily manipulated using programs such as Photoshop many believe there is no photographic evidence of alien life. I want to leave it up to the viewer to make their own decision about what is truth and what is fiction.

Large Scale Technical Assignment

Lightjet Print: 20"x30"

Grayscale Technical Assignment

Technical Assignment

Technical Assignment - Film Scanning
Old project dealing with made up identities.

Bones

This work illustrates decay and decomposition using real bones, leaves, dirt, and branches. I scanned these objects and made scannograms rather than taking actual photographs of these objects to emphasize the shallow depth of field created using the scanner. I used a shallow depth of field to show the idea of these bones being buried on different levels of dirt. These objects were scanned into Photoshop and then turned a sepia tone to create a dirty look to the images and to add to the idea of these bones being buried.
My hopes are that by using real bones the work will easily communicate the idea of decay. I want the work to show the idea of animals and people becoming part of the earth when they die as their bodies decompose. I’m interested in decay and what people believe will happen to their bodies and spirit after death. The bones themselves are disgusting, but the shallow depth of field and the compositions are what make these images beautiful.

Stop motion

Stop motion video made up of nearly 400 images. The theme deals with the places we dream about rather than the things that happen in dreams.

Music: Sigur Ros - Hoppipolla

The Four Elements of Nature

For this project, I wanted to use the classical elements of nature; air, earth, fire and water as a theme. Since most of the elements represent goddesses or femininity, I wanted to use female models. When I think about goddesses of ancient Greece I think of women wearing long flowing dresses. I decided to have each model represent a specific element. I attempted to associate the elements with colors and environments that I felt best represented that element.

I decided to pair a portrait image of each element with a darker side to each element. I wanted the darker side of each element to essentially show how that element can harm or kill someone. Too much earth could result in being buried alive. Too much water could result in being drowned. A lack of air can lead to suffocation and too much fire could result in catching on fire.