Seeing the Unseen

My work aims to bridge the gap between campus life and the localities of Blacksburg. By exploring areas that are often unnoticed I wanted to highlight a different pace. I took my camera and captured images of landscapes and textures in an attempt to highlight the local rural culture. My interest in this project was sparked when I was walking along the Huckleberry Trail and realized how different the Blacksburg community was from campus life. Campus life is always moving, busy, and full of commotion. Once I removed myself from that, I realized how static it can be. No highways, student chatter, or construction. 

The feeling of a different community and pace of lifestyle was refreshing and prompted me to explore this area more carefully. 

Over this past semester, I ventured out to local, rural areas and photographed them in a documentary style in an attempt to bring the viewer into an unfamiliar place. Once I took my camera out and became intentional with my photos It allowed me to use familiar spaces and offer a unique perspective. This was a challenge at first and was uncomfortable at times, but after establishing a rhythm it became a lot easier. Seeing things through the lens allowed me to slow down and be purposeful with my photo-taking.

I used multiple focal lengths and depths of field to achieve this goal. I attempted to edit the photos in an otherworldly way to emphasize the idea of being different from the rest. I compiled a wide range of photos including landscapes, animals, food, and tight, textured shots with the purpose of creating a cohesive photo environment. I also wanted to My goal was to find isolated areas that might seem familiar to people associated with Virginia Tech, but document it in a way where it becomes a unique perspective.