Johnston 2012-2016
In the Fall of 2013 I contacted a number of University of Redlands Johnston students to see if they would participate in a long-term collaborative photographic documentary project. I was looking for a group of interested first year students that were willing to let me photograph them in their living spaces once a month for the duration of their time at the U of R. The days and times would be negotiated to accommodate our schedules. This documentation would chronicle the physical journey students’ take during their time at University. Typically while students are working their way through undergrad they simultaneously struggle with the notion of self, making friends, negotiating life without parents, some struggle with laundry, budgets and things as complex as their identity. Originally we were supposed to meet every month or so in their dorms. Sometimes this became more challenging so we met only a few times a semester and some of the students either did not live on campus or they wanted to explore other parts of campus with me. Led by the students I would meet up with them and we spend 20-30 minutes together. I photographed them during the time we shared together everything was open for discussion and or debate. These topics sometimes included, race, social class, politics, academics, relationships, fashion, sexuality, gender and god. These pictures represent only a fraction of the time we spent together and the pictures we made.