Alexis Joannides
One of the oldest surviving photographs, taken by Louis Daguerre in 1838, reveals the first image of a person -- commencing the movement that is street photography. Eventually, we move on to candid and social documentary photography during the mid 20th century, capturing everyday people in candid moments of their lives. This documentation ultimately becomes a memento, preserving a moment in time for present and future generations. This type of photography has become a source of inspiration for my work, creating intimate images as well as distant, observant photos of everyday people. When taking a photograph, I often establish a brief relationship with the subject while not actually speaking to them, or them sensing my presence at all. Through this secretive approach, I confiscate their privacy with a lens, and knowing nothing about them or the instant possibility of never seeing them again brings sentimental significance.
In order to create a captivating image, I look for captivating people, submerged in interesting, organic spaces. Working digitally and with color film produces compelling photos, as color offers much more information about someone and their environment. Strong form, lighting, and color are my main priorities, since all work together in highlighting the subject and the natural elements that surround them. The rest of my process remains to aimlessly search for refreshing looking characters, hoping they don’t see me looking at them through a viewfinder.
