Brezaja Hutcheson - Susan Worsham - Post 13

1. Which of the artist's many technical choices are of interest to you and why?

I admire the way Worsham considers all of the elements that are in the frame before she makes her pictures. The position of her subjects, color, spacial elements, and location are all aspects that she thinks about through a critical and conceptual lens; it is evident in all of her photos. Worsham blends a mixture of landscape and portrait photography, which creates an interesting hybrid that also allows room for discussion surrounding the subject matter in her photography. 

Worsham ventures through different worlds in a way, examining neighborhoods of all classes, the environments that they live in, as well as the relationships between her subjects and others, as well as her subjects in nature. Looking at her work is refreshing to me, due to the vibrant colors, varying subjects in her portraits, as well as the constant change of scenery. 

2. What do you believe are the artist's conceptual work and/or thematic intentions?

Worsham's intentions are to capture ways of life that she was not privy to previously, due to forces outside of her control. She wants to examine these humble beginnings in these communities, through a lens that is not exploitative in any way, but through one that is looking to bridge the gap between the new world she is observing and the one she has known all her life. This is especially evident in her series "By the Grace of God". Focusing on communities and neighborhoods that are usually overlooked, she spends time with her subjects, getting to know their stories, and then making pictures of them and in their homes. By allowing her viewers to also view snippets of these intimate moments she has shared with strangers, it also opens discussion for the concept of memory, family dynamics, as well as the relationship between self and others. 

3. How do you personally respond to these choices and intents?

All of her photos are nothing short of inspiring. It reminds me that in my own portraiture practice, it is necessary to create an open dialogue and relationship between myself and my subjects. I believe that this is the most vital piece that could completely transform the way my pictures that I make on my own turn out, as well as the potency that they possess. I am also inspired to travel to places that are unmarked or overlooked, the same way that Worsham did in her "By the Grace of God" series. I am inspired to think more critically about the composition of my own photos; what I choose to include in my photos, and the messages that these objects or placement of my subjects are conveying.