This body of work is nostalgic of childhood days and I wanted to capture the whimsical and care-free nature of this. Many of the photographs are blurry or out of focus in order to simulate the hazy memory that many have of their childhood. I dove deeper into this and focused on a theme of reminiscing on years-past after growing up which is why I specifically shot playgrounds that were desolate other than myself. Growing up and leaving memories behind can feel lonely and looking back on simpler times can be comforting. I hoped to capture this melancholia through juxtaposing surreal coloring and a whimsical setting with the vacancy of the playgrounds. A barren playground may seem eerie since it is usually bursting with youth so I offset this in order to present the photos like a fantasy. “Before Curfew” symbolizes an innocent era—the sun still up and the street lights off—while growing up and looking back on these memories metaphorically takes place after curfew—which is stereotypically amoral.
