For decades I’ve relied on my camera as a tool for social change. I was hoping that compelling images about social issues would be a catalyst for furthering equality among all people.
Today, we scroll the perpetually updating headlines and disturbing imagery as nonchalantly as we used to wave to a passerby or greet a neighbor. A shocking exposé or video of lewd behavior no longer guarantees strong public outcry, nor a change in policy, perception or election outcomes.
Left with the question, “Will social media prove to be the greatest tool for sharing ideas and information with the masses, or will fear and win-at-all-cost attitudes use the internet to tear apart the fabric of our society?” – I decided to use my camera, my witnessing skills, my compassion and my womanhood to create change through connection. Perhaps, just being a witness to one woman, one story, one Instagram post at a time I can knit together the shared humanity of my gender and prevent us from being torn apart by the politics of social media.
Women do not have time for lollygagging around so I created a super distilled method for making “woman on the street” portraits and interviews. One photo. One question.
“What is something that stands out in your life as memorable or significant that would not have happened if you weren’t a woman?”
The thoughtful look that crosses their faces after they hear the question is often similar but their answers are not. Change happens in the five to ten minutes I give my undivided attention to each woman. If they don’t answer right away, I don’t check my cell phone, or hurry them along. I remain completely focused on the person in front of me because what I am doing is metaphorically holding up a mirror to them and saying, “I see you. You matter. Tell me about yourself.”
I also use the streets, parks and subway stations to photograph women and gift them a print of themselves right on the spot. I call this photo-busking and I do it on days that are significant to women, Equal Pay Day, Election Day, Mother’s Day and International Women’s Day. My busking set up includes me, my Canon 5D mark iii, a 50mm 1.2 lens, a 28-70mm 2.8 lens, a Canon speedlight, and a Canon Selphy CP1200 wireless printer. I tether the camera to the laptop and using Lightroom, I have my tech edit, crop, format and print the photo. Moments after I’ve taken their photo I gift each woman a 4×6 print. During these photo-busking events, women who don’t know one another gather. Fairly quickly, as they wait for their photo to be printed, a dialogue about feminism and what it means to be a woman begins. In this fashion, me&EVE facilitates a connection between people, connections that wouldn’t otherwise happen if I were not there using my camera as a tool for social change. This form of activism doesn’t required marching, shouting, police barricades or even large numbers of people. It is subtle, quiet and the change cannot be measured but is powerful nonetheless.
If you want to see what me&EVE is all about, come find me. I will be photobusking this Wednesday March 8th in the Union Square subway station from 11-3pm. Then from 5-7pm I will moving to Adorama to photobusk in their store.
