Shoot 1: Creative self-portraiture based on past and present relationships.
Shoot 2: Finding moments of quiet domesticity within a high school relationship.
Shoot 3: CHS Couples.
- Photo 1: Kristy & Aja
- How long have you been together? "Almost eleven months."
- How did you get together? "We met at prom junior year and became friends. We started texting, reconnected at a birthday party, and went on a bunch of dates. We then started dating while Kristy was in Texas!"
- What us your favorite memory as a couple? "We had plans to go to a fancy restaurant, but it was closed so we went to Revolutionary Soup and then saw a movie."
- Photo 2: Amelia & Sam
- How long have you been together? "Seven months."
- How did you get together? "We were friends first, then we started seeing movies together and got closer."
- What is your favorite memory as a couple? "We went to see Top Gun together and then had to run back across the Downtown Mall in the pouring rain."
- Photo 3: Ali & Gian
- How long have you been together? "Around three months."
- How did you get together? "We had a really long talking stage- like, two months or something, then we started dating. Kristy was involved, too."
- What is your favorite memory as a couple? "Probably taking a night hike and then having a picnic."
- Photo 4: Matteo & Kendall
- How long have you been together? "Almost two years. Well, two years in July."
- How did you get together? "We met in Biology in freshman year and just got close."
- What is your favorite memory as a couple? "Dissecting a cow eye." (Matteo) "What? Not putt-putt or something?" (Kendall)
- Photo 5: Claire & Max
- How long have you been together? "One and a half years."
- How did you get together? "We met in band. Vicky had to talk [Max] up to [Claire] for a while before [Max] asked her out. Then, it took six months until we officially started dating."
- What is your favorite memory as a couple? "We went to a flower farm together and watched the sunset."
- Photo 6: Evan & Vicky
- How long have you been together? "One year and five months."
- How did you get together? "[Vicky] approached [Evan] and then we just kept talking!"
- What is your favorite memory as a couple? "When we went to see capybaras in Lynchburg."
- Photo 7: Sarah & Soren
- How long have you been together? "Four and a half years."
- How did you get together? "We had Mr. Sason's eighth grade Earth Science class together and so we started talking. [Sarah] liked [Soren] first, so [Soren] asked [Sarah] out even though he didn't actually like her at first."
- What is your favorite memory as a couple? "We went to the beach with Soren's family. We worked out together and did lots of arts and crafts."
- Photo 8: Chloe & Ollie
- How long have you been together? "Eight months."
- How did you get together? "We started talking in August. Ollie confessed feelings at midnight one night, then we started dating one night when staying home and watching a movie instead of going to a football game."
- What is your favorite memory as a couple? "We did a polar plunge together and listened to Sabrina Carpenter."
"This portfolio began when I decided to begin an extended self-portraiture project revolving around the four relationships I have been in throughout high school. Since so much of my high school experience has been spent in my room due to COVID, my panic disorder diagnosis, and numerous other things, I wanted to do each shoot at a different place in my room. From that idea sparked the next- taking photos of my current partner in the quiet, almost domestic moments of our relationship. I turned to my photography teacher, Rachel Wilson, for ideas for my final shoot, and she suggested I photograph other couples that I know. I loved the idea, so I decided to incorporate my past passion for photojournalism to take photos of these couples and get to know them. This portfolio would not have come to fruition without my muse, my wonderful boyfriend Ian. Being in a relationship so sweet and comforting has given me an appreciation for young love that I never had before, and I wanted to capture the way this appreciation has affected me and how this appreciation affects others and their relationships. As I'm writing this, there are only two days until my last day of high school, and I want this project to be a love letter to the wonder of young love that high school has brought me. Thank you, CHS, for all you've given me."
Credits:
Naomi Ruzek