Jealyn (they/he/it)
I treat each photograph as if it were a painting and each subject as if they are my family. However, that doesn't always mean my photographs are tender and caring. I use photography as my activism, and sometimes my gaze is violently oppositional to the oppressor. I photograph the community I belong to, the transgender and queer community. Our lives are threatened before we even step out the door and I use photography as a tool to fight back against that which threatens us. A photograph tells a story. It can empower our most marginalized siblings, that is, if we proceed in these collaborations with caution and care.
When I prepare to photograph a subject, it is essential that I, and anyone who participates in this endeavor with me, create a safe space that allows my subjects to feel free. For them to know that I am not there to judge or expose them, but to listen and learn from and with them. Without this, the photographs I take won't tell the right story. My collaborative process is like group therapy in a lot of ways, we talk, we listen, we reflect, we learn and we leave feeling empowered to embrace ourselves in new ways. When I photograph the kink, sex work, trans, disabled, and queer community, a community that is often erased, I capture portraits of resilience.
*If you’re interested in working together I would love to hear from you and create together.