As we grow older we lose a bit of that mystery, wonder and curiosity that drove our every move when younger. For artists, it's more of a settling in to your craft. Things are practiced to the point of second nature and in that mastery is the danger of losing your 'freshness'. Work can become stale and repetitive. We go with what we know works and we stop taking so many chances. I struggle with this, as I was a professional fashion photographer for about 10 years, and that loss of experimentation is what made me leave it. The more I got hired the more clients wanted me to do what I had already done. The wilder my ideas got the more my paying clientele wrangled me back into submission. I was shooting for others. I was making their images not mine.
So what's my point? My point is Ann He, at 15 years old is shooting circles around teenage me. Her work is so adventurous while still being delicate and quiet. It's in the calm scenes that this work shines. So much of photography is about when you shoot as opposed to what. She seems completely in tune with her cameras; it may as well be her right hand. I love that she's having fun and exploring and still shooting film. It's so important for a budding shooter. I think digital photography is grand but there's nothing like the lesson learned from a poorly exposed roll of film of images you were sure to love. Anyway, here's her work. She's got a bright future, for sure.
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