Much of the experience of taking the pictures, the encounters with subjects and the sharing of intimate stories of isolation, contributes to the significant singularity of each panel, as each reflects an individual's reactions to usually unfortunate events. The completed project, entitled "Alone?" is a collection of twelve full-body portraits which measure 12"x16" each. The portraits feature a dozen of my closest friends, who are all in their late teens and live in the south suburbs of Chicago. In order to begin the process that is so important to this work, I scheduled appointments with each of the subjects, and, upon meeting them for the photo shoot, asked them to show me the place they go to when they feel they want (or need) to be alone. This "place" could be their sanctuary or safe haven, their thinking spot, or even just their favorite room in their house where they spend the most time in solitude. I wanted each to name the first setting that they thought of when I described the focus of the project without thinking about it too hard.

When looking at "Alone?" the viewer may first be drawn in by the compositions of each photo and how they relate to one another, especially the similar stances the subjects take, which are all very neutral, pillar-like, and seemingly stiff. A few of the subjects may look uncomfortable being photographed (with good reason, since the place they are sharing is personal), while others come across more as veterans to modeling, posing for the photographer rather than just standing awkwardly. Still, there is altogether a feeling of intrusion or interruption that the viewer may feel when focusing on this persons' space. Achieving these emotions, these hesitancies to delve deeper, was a main goal of the project.

AD 160 - Photography I, Prof. Beate Geissler