Constructed Joy is a collage of digital images from joyful spaces in Ames, Iowa, transformed into abstract compositions. Each piece reflects how I create joy in my daily life by finding unique shapes, color connections, and light. Inspired by Betty Woodman’s A Single Joy of Song, I aim to inspire others to recognize and construct joy in their own surroundings. The project invites viewers to appreciate the beauty and joy in the everyday.

In this typology project, I explore compositional variation and consistency to represent the fruits from my kitchen within a square grid. Through advanced studio lighting, I created cohesive background colors for each fruit, enhancing the overall unity of the project. The shallow depth of field adds an artistic touch to a subject typically photographed in commercial settings, allowing for a more intimate and unique perspective. This approach blends both creativity and precision, transforming the everyday into something visually captivating.

I explored the intersection of motion and memory with a nostalgic lens by overlapping digital images. Central to this work is the symbolic significance of shoes as aesthetic markers of cultural shifts, social status, and evolving trends. The project reflects on how footwear functions as a daily object and an essential cultural signifier that informs identity and societal values.

While living and studying abroad in Rome, Italy, I documented the people, objects, and textures I would pass on my daily neighborhood walks. I used digital photography as a way to more intentionally interact with a new culture I began to call home.

Lake Laverne, near the heart of central campus and just outside of the bustling Memorial Union, has features some of Iowa State’s most hidden wonders. Hundreds of students pass by this lake daily on there journey to and from class. However, only a few stop to enjoy the lake’s peaceful aura, all looking for refuge from the noisy college atmosphere. They stop to rest, think, read, journal, study, explore, connect with friends, and watch the rowdy geese. Through this photographic study, the students of Lake LaVerne are shown interacting with this space and providing insight about what draws them to it. 

Lake LaVerne's hidden gems come and go. They engage, leave, relax, rest, and reconnect with nature. The true treasures of Iowa State University’s Lake LaVerne are its inhabitants: students, geese, squirrels, passersby, and all-day dwellers, readers, writers, fishermen, creatives, followers of Christ and business thinkers. All uniquely different, yet all are equally drawn to the calm water, natural surroundings, and inviting spaces to rest and reflect at Lake LaVerne.

In Alikeness, I took inspiration from Imogen Cunningham’s dramatic film images of botanicals and portraits. I wanted to combine high-contrast images of plants with a model to show the aesthetic and natural connection between humans and the natural world. I was able to use the medium of film photography to express this connection and create a modernist composition with a digital rendering of two overlapping exposures.