This project is an investigation into the verisimilitude of photography. Specifically, I wanted to know, "Can my photographs reveal the truth of who my daughter, Lauren, is?" It was easier to pose the question, but answering it has been much more difficult. The following images can never fully reveal the truth of who she is because you cannot hear her laugh, touch her face or know her the way that a father or loved one can. In spite of this, when I look at some of the photographs I have produce of Lauren, I do think to myself, "Yes, that is Lauren! That is who she is."
These photographs were taken in the fall of 2005, during the fall semester of her senior year in high school. Each day I took a photograph with an 8x10 view camera, yielding an 8x10 negative that I would then hand to Lauren to either write or draw on as she wished, with no input or interference from me. All photographs are © Randy Snook, 2005.
Collaborative portrait of my daughter, Lauren.
Reflections on the death of her grandmother.
Lauren was not always in the mood to be photographed.
Lauren's thoughts on Hurricane Katrina.
Lauren dealing with her body image.
Outline of my daughter using a flashlight.
Lauren capturing video of me photographing her.
Portrait of Lauren cut with scissors and then reassembled.