honorable mention
Hope Black united statesPhoto © Hope Black
title
Tears For Love
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entry description
A couple of years ago, I did a "black lived matter" themed photo shoot with two friends. For one segment, I asked this woman to think about times she had experienced racism and/or had hatred pointed at her because of the color of her skin. She didn't move for a new seconds, and I waited and let it be still. Eventually, as she stared out of the window in this tiny photo studio, she began to cry very softly. I managed to capture this one tear as it fell out of her eye. The focus is more on the tear than on anything else. One thing that struck me most was her lack of bodily movement during these few moments after I asked my question about racism in her life. This woman is a dancer, so body movement comes very naturally to her as a means of expression. But in this moment, she was as still as could be. I could tell she was thinking and remembering. I went into this session with as open a mind as I could muster - being white, I will never know what it feels like to be the recipient of race-related scorn and I recognize the privilege that I have. I was simply there with my camera, allowing my friends to express their own experience and I was ready to capture whatever these women gave me. To me, this was one of the most poignant moments of the shoot. Still, simple, real, sad.about the photographer
I am a self-taught photographer currently residing in Seattle, WA. I rarely plan a photo; I love being in the moment and mostly taking candids. I love bus-walking around Seattle and seeing what I can capture. I love hearing people's stories and then taking their portrait. I love hiking, and the Pacific Northwest never fails to deliver jaw-dropping beauty for taking photos. Over the years I have developed my own style, yet my photos are all very unique aesthetically. I view taking pictures as a responsibility to life - I often realize that I am freezing and salvaging moments that will never happen again. When I'm out on a shoot I often say to myself, "what if this were the last photo I ever take? Would I be happy with it?" I feel honored to be a photographer.back to gallery