Utopia: High School Angst

I first took photography as a freshman in high school, just as I was becoming really depressed and beginning to hang out with a group of angsty punk rock kids. Recently I've become incredibly nostalgic for that time in my life, which doesn't make any logical sense since I was depressed, unmotivated, and constantly fighting with my family. My nostalgia really kicked in hard when a friend of mine from high school committed suicide a little over a year ago. Since then, I've found myself reminiscing a lot about high school, and wanting to go back to that time in my life and relive it.

Also, my freshman year of high school—just as I was becoming depressed, angsty, and punk rock—was when I first took a photography class. This semester I've been thinking a lot about the kinds of photos I remember taking back then. With this photo project, I wanted to recreate the angst, loneliness, and punk rock vibe that characterized the photos I took in 9th grade. Though I've been thinking on pursuing this project for a while (and I see these photos as just the beginning – I want to do a lot more), I think this project fits in with the idea of Redefining Eden. There's something about that time in my life that I miss so much, even though it was so awful. In making these photos, I was hoping to access whatever it is that I miss so much about that time.