Self-Care and Reflection
My photographs are moments in my life that I captured, good and bad. Some pictures are burning, even though I may be smiling I was dealing with a mental battle within myself. I decided that burning some of the pictures was a way to release some of those harsh memories and focus on the good parts in life. Presenting them like a diary gives more insight into the thoughts behind the pictures and my life. I really wanted to put myself in a vulnerable position and convey the raw and real me. The new photographs are full of openness and light and symbolize new beginnings, a new era of Alyssa.
Photographers who influenced me were Dionne Lee and Kelli M. Perletti. They didn’t necessarily use old pictures and new pictures like me, but they did have that authenticity behind the photographs. They really inspired me to use memories and attempt to give a rawness to my photographs.
http://www.dionneleestudio.com/
https://cargocollective.com/kellimperlettiphotography
About the Photographer:
Alyssa Gutto was born in Saratoga Springs NY on April 1, 2001. She went to Saratoga Springs High School and started the SUNY Adirondack ECCA (Early College Career Academy) program her junior year of high school. She will be graduating from SUNY Adirondack with her A.A.S in Media Arts. She plans to get a better job while keeping graphic design “in her handbag” for future purposes.
No one knew. No one knew I was faking a smile. I was trying to be happy, hoping no one would ask what was wrong.
My 19th birthday did not exactly go how I wanted. Quarantine just started I didn’t live with my parents anymore, I fainted. I fractured my wrist, hurt my knee, and hit my head.
Around my best friend Savannah’s 21st birthday, I was getting better. Savannah and my boyfriend have definitely made me start to have a genuine smile again.
Christmas was strange, but we all made the best of it. My brother even came home with his girlfriend, Alyssa, and his dog, Paisley. I needed the family time.
On my 20th birthday, we did a great hike . . . my first ever. My brother even proposed to his girlfriend and she is now my soon-to-be sister-in-law!! My mental health is at such a high right now, I don’t want it to end!
I was living at my grandma’s with my mom and it was a little tough. I was going to school before lockdown for quarantine. Little did I know, school and life were about to be worse.
Whenever I was by myself, I would let it all flood my head. How I missed it, being happy. I was battling myself to be happy.
Working during Covid-19 has definitely been an experience. Everything had to be done differently. I started doing Amazon Returns and really have fallen in love with it. Life was getting a sense of normalcy.
This year will be good for me. Hopefully we can start doing some fun things this year, concerts especially. 1 major step to do that was getting my vaccination, so I don’t have setbacks.
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Photographic Project Development Spring21 