Underexposed

I'm excited to share an interview I did recently with Underexposed, a new online magazine dedicated to women and women-identified photographers. I spoke about my Beach Lovers series, Camera of the Month Club, and being a woman photographer.  I don't always think of myself as a 'woman photographer' but I am a woman and a photographer, this does influence my work and how I am perceived. An excerpt below.

3. How does being a female photographer influence your work? Do you encounter any challenges in your practice related to that?

Being a woman influences how I shoot my current series, featured here, Beach Lovers. I love street photography, yet I am aware it crosses boundaries of consent and permission. As a woman who encounters street harassment in NY, I want to be careful not to publish photos of women on the beach that would cause them to feel any discomfort. My series is about moments of love, tenderness and intimacy, and vulnerability. It sometimes stops me in my tracks to see these beautiful moments in the hot sun and salty art. The world is an incredibly dark place, and I love bringing moments of this tenderness to life. I think I am able to slip around with my camera and capture this series much more easily and undetected as a woman.

The challenges I have encountered have been related to sexual harassment on the job, whether on the street or during an event I’m shooting; being ‘man-splained’ to while on a job about photography; and my own struggle to become comfortable to request fair compensation for my work. I think a lot of women are coming to terms with demanding fair, equal pay, and as photography is such a competitive field, there is fear setting a high price will cost us the job."

I love that more women are being recognized in the field of photography and that we are carving our own paths. The field, both in the arts and commercially, is still dominated by white men but women are a rising force. I'm excited what the next generation will bring to photography.

Many thanks to Underexposed for this great opportunity!