These photos were a part of a 2003 and 2004 series, entitled Embracing Eatonville: A Photographic Survey. Depending on the subject Willis is photographing she decides whether she should open or close the aperture. For portraits she typically employs a shallow depth of field and landscapes are more so captured with a closed aperture. Her photos are of higher shutter speed considering her images are clear and of good quality indicating a low ISO.
Thematically, she seems to have a central interest in black communities. This particular series is about one of the first established black towns in America, Eatonville, Florida. With this series, Willis captures the landscape but also avenues of black life such as the hair salon, their cars, and beliefs. All these things are avenues that give many black people joy and happiness and definitely speaks to black culture in the south.
Personally, as I see more and more photographic works I have realized that I love photos that portray reality instead of an idea that one is trying to describe. Willis' work captures just that. I feel a part of her photos and experiences in Eatonville, because she captured a very common area of black life, a collective experience.
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