Consistent Change
In many languages, words are defined and held differently by their cultural meaning. Love has the most diverse definitions and sometimes not defined at all. Home is usually defined literally as a dwelling or shelter. Although these two words are different in their direct meaning, they go hand in hand to share common symbols and emotions people can relate to. Love and home are the bare bones of the people and physical environments: either bringing a sense of security or everyday life. But things change due to time and going through life. Nothing will ever be the same as the past or the current now; although the people in your life might not leave, the relationships will alter.
This photo essay is a collection and comparison of photographs that capture many contents or conflict relating to my personal journey of love and home. Being in college, my relationship with my parent and what I call home have become complicated. Relationships with friends seem to change weekly. It feels like nothing is ever stable, bringing up themes of loss, confusion, and a search for the past through nostalgia. Some change is not bad, but different than before, bringing other themes of rekindling or rebirth into a new era. Some photographs are intentionally mundane to capture emotions or directly correlate symbols. More artistic approaches show positive emotion and deeper meaning. While scrolling through the images, I hope you can find some relationship with yourself and what you hold dear.
The family photo: Friends are also family, you find your family where you are making it home. (On the left is a photo of my sister, dad, mom, and me when I was a couple months old; on the right is a current photo of my friends, Olivia, Ryan, Cassie and me.)
Where to call home: A comparison and change of home. (On the top left is a picture of childhood and current hours; on the top right is a photo of the dorm I live and work in; on the bottom left is a photo of my backyard with dog toys strung about; on the bottom right is the volleyball court next to the dorm with the outline of dead grass where the gaga pit used to be.)
Roots go deep: Personality and likings come from way back when the we young. My love for plants definitely came for my mom and her gardening all summer. (To the left is a photo of me when I was three watering outside the play house where I would play pretend; to the right is a photo of me watering the plants in my dorm where I seem to do everything.)
Maybe we have been replaced by dogs: My mom often mentions of similar we are to the dogs personalities. (To the left is a photo of my sister and me sleeping; to the right is a photo of my dogs, Butternut and Buzz, resting.)
Shift in energy and time: Hear the giggling and my sister growling, but the second photo is my father practically falling asleep as I take his photo. (To the left is a photo of my older sister, dad, and me together; to the right is a current photo of my dad with a large clock in the background.)
Somethings never change: at least now I fit into those shoes. (To the left is a photo of me in our kitchen with my mom’s running shoes on; to the right is a photo of our current, more chaotic kitchen.)
Time and age: There are new children in the house, and my sister and I have grown so much from this time. (On the top left is my footprint at 2 months old; on the top right is my dog’s, Butternut, foot print at 6 months old; on the bottom left is my dog’s, Buzz, footprint at 2 years old; on the bottom right is my sister’s, Kieran, handprint at 3 years old.)
Memories and Mother: The person behind the camera of the original photos is my mom, but, today, I take most of them. (To the left is a photo of my sister and me when I was a week old, and if you look close a reflection of me taking the photo can be seen; to the right is a current photo of my mom.)