Artist Statement

I was 20 when my mother and I brought my nephew Mark home to raise together. At the time, I couldn't fully imagine how deeply becoming a parent would shape my life. Now, years later, I realize just how profoundly moving life has been to experience the world alongside my child, and how much it has changed the way I see it. Witnessing the person my child is becoming has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and photographing that process allows me to both hold and witness those moments as they unfold. 

In This Place follows my child, Mark, as he explores and experiences the world around him. The project documents childhood as it unfolds in both home settings and natural environments. Instead of focusing on a single location, this project considers how curiosity, awe, and wonder move through and shape the spaces Mark explores. As his parent, I get to witness those moments not from a distance, but from within them, as he shows me the world in ways I might not have seen on my own. I plan to document our daily routines and outings on my digital mirrorless camera, shifting between close observations of small details and a wider view of the spaces we move through.