Women have stories, some which are never fully heard. My photography is an exploration of the thoughts and behaviors that we conventionally learn to conceal. Social constructs change and confine our innate behavior, many times making it difficult to reconcile our intuitive side with the realities of cultural expectations. My work searches for an escape from this world into the beauty and peace that lies in the reality of our mind.
My journey with photography began in high school in the darkroom. I connected with the experience of photographing people in their own element, as well as the process of developing and manipulating images. Being able, for example, to place a tree in the middle of a city was fascinating, and I found inspiration to the possibilities of expression with the medium.
Thereafter I attending college, earning a business degree and then dedicated my time to my family, although the camera was never left behind. I eventually went back to college to study american sign language interpreting which wound up lending dearly to my perspective of photography as an art.
As sign language is a visual language involving spatial relations, eye contact, gaze, cultural influences, just to name a few, it made me more mindful of the importance of the facets involved with the art of photography. To be able to capture something that is a narration of a greater concept is an exciting endeavor, and always a process of growth.
When I began my business I photographed a variety of genres, having a particular interest in bands for their creativeness and women for their intuitive side. My work continues on into the endless possibilities of fine art.
I am constantly influenced by the many things in our daily lives; the monotonous, the chaotic, the obstacles, the adversities, and the blessings as well. I am also influenced by psychology and literature which I read about as much as I do photography and the arts. I have found peace in the works of Andrew Wyeth. There are too many artists I could name, but to mention a few : Jerry Uelsmann, Julia Fullterton-Batten, Holly Andres, Julie Blackmon and Katia Chausheva.
Although I have been shooting digitally in the recent years, I am now revisiting analog. I find the very deliberate nature of analog rejuvenating, not to mention the larger negative size of course;).
I am currently working on a series relating to Deaf culture, as well as others relating to pain, identity, and validation. I am also very interested in focusing more time on self- portraiture. Refreshing is the freedom to communicate a part of us which we conventionally learn to conceal. Enchanting is the freedom to communicate a part of us in an unconventional way. (100)
Links:
http://www.pariscarterphotography.com
http://www.facebook.com/pariscarterphotography
http://www.twitter.com/pariscarterfl
Wow. Your photographs (had a look at your website) are very nice. But your writing is an incomprehensible mash-up of meaningless vague words and phrases that are often arranged ungrammatically.