Michelle Ben Appiah

Age: 15 St. Jean Baptiste High SchoolThe COVID-19 pandemic impacted my social life. I used to be an outgoing, talkative, and high-spirited person. Now I’m a reserved person who enjoys observing her surroundings, appreciating them. Knowing that the height of the pandemic took my happiest moments away from me, I appreciate the memories that I make now. This is why I love photography; it allows me to capture nostalgia. At the beginning of my photography career, I would mostly take photos of my close friends; however, if a moment reminds me of something that I have seen before, I try to recreate that remembered image. However, I have slightly shifted away from taking photos of people to doing self-portraits. The purpose of my photos is to give the viewers insight into who I am as a person and what I like to surround myself with.  

Some photos are either as dark as the night or as bright as the day. It ultimately depends on the mood I sense from my environment. I enjoy using different lighting techniques and alternating backgrounds to match the energy or “vibe” of the people in my picture. I love taking photos of people, whether it is a group picture or an individual picture. The people within a photograph can increase the emotion of the image. I get much inspiration from Djeneba Aduayom, Lillie Eiger, and Lachlan Bailey. Yet, a majority of my inspiration comes from my fellow Expanding the Walls participants: Kevin Marshall, Salvador Peña Nissenblatt, Omar Lashin, Maya Williams, Jamier Parker, Aichatou Traore, Faride Marte, and Michelle Lucero. I love their creative use of maneuvering lighting and colors to establish a story and provide different perspectives of feelings to their artwork. Some of these artists take premeditated snapshots while others may be experimental. I take many unintentional photos because, for me, they tell the most meaningful stories. However, it is strange how most of those photos are the ones that look the most orchestrated.  
My Existence, 2022
The Untold Story, 2022