Needle In the Veins

[ Photo by Brit Worgan - Light in the Gutter ]

Male photographers are credited as the fathers of the medium, but let it be known, women photographers have been around just as long as the process, pre-1900s. Since the medium of photography was introduced in 1839, women have been creating images.

In eighteenth-century Europe, the academies were open to male artists (painters) to train and exhibit their work. But as a blatant denial to women, photography emerged as a form of artistic expression beyond still-life and portraiture. In the nineteenth-century photography became a socially acceptable profession for women, and respected as both bold and remarkable.

Regardless of gender, each photographer brings their own personality to their work. Does an image differ based on the gender of the photographer? After all, don't men and women view the world in different ways? Not necessarily. But personalities can (and will) shape the approach to a documentary.

This past year I started working on my first professional self-funded photo documentary which follows the lives of female strippers working at a rural small town go-go club.

When I first started work on this project I had to set myself up with a game plan; a mission statement. After thoughtful consideration of the lives and subject matter I was going to be documenting, I knew I had a duty to these women to approach this project in a sensitive and unique way. I wanted their stories to rise from the images. I did not want to take on an overly sexual - underlying negative perspective, or the opposite.

For this project to grow legs it had to be open, truthful, and nonjudgmental. With a few serious setbacks along the way, there is still a lot of work to be done. I'm really proud to be behind this project and I'm looking forward to its future. I will be posting updates as this project continues to evolve.