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“Photography is an art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” Elliott Erwin wrote this about street photography. Though not a street photographer, I apply this to animals. I see animals through my heart. I hope this comes out in my photos.

For people, our identities are held in our fingertips.  For our animal counterparts, the secret is held in the snout. Whether it’s a friendly rat, a fierce Yak or an adorable bunny, they all have their story to tell.

I have always been surrounded by animals. I was the child found playing with roly polies, garter snakes or even the stray calico cat, transfixed in my own world.  To me animals are sweet, intelligent creatures that shed the light of the world in new and interesting ways….much like photography.

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My portfolio is titled “Equality for All. Ethnicity, origin, gender, and sexual orientation often divide communities; my work, however, suggests that they should not. These eight portraits represent people of my community as they are other students who attend my school, and are people I speak with every day. These individuals happen to identify with different genders and sexualities and my photographs allow people of all ages to learn about the different ways modern teens see themselves on the gender and sexuality spectrums.

In many places around the world, LGBTQ+  communities are gaining recognition and their rights are on the rise. The various flags painted on my subjects’ faces symbolize different LGBTQ+ groups, specifically the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Pansexual, Demisexual, Non-Binary, and Polyamory communities, allowing viewers to see my peers as they see themselves. Meanwhile, the focus on their eyes invites the viewer to reflect on the humanity we all share regardless of our differences.