User:Bbaum03/sandbox

Lauren Philomene is a highly captivating and extremely influential photographer that deserves significant recognition. Philomene started photographing in their teenage years, experimenting with dramatic hues and ambient details. The work they create is extremely unique and eye-catching, it is something you do not want to look away from. This photographer is highly special, as their photography speaks volumes against Trans hate and gender inequality. Philomene has used photography and image expression as their way to tell their story and experience as a chronically ill trans gendered person. As mentioned their work celebrates trans existence and does so by having a constant flux in colors and theme, again always using bright vibrant colors and lights. Philomeme uses photography as a vehicle to express identity. They firmly believe this can be done through photography, as it captures the raw, real version of each individual, which is what Lauren wants to convey. Their work is an effort to humanize and worship those that have been marginalized, like themselves. Not only is this incredibly beautiful, but a step towards an equal society. If their art were published and celebrated like celebrity photographs, the hate that trans people get would be diminished. Aside from the messages behind their artwork, their photographs themselves are amazing. They carry a sort of nostalgic, yet modern feeling as well as some eery factor. It's as though you don't know what's going on in the photograph but you know something is definitely happening. It's uncertainty that drives the curiosity of their work that needs to be recognized. Philomene uses photography as a self healing tactic as well. The photographer decided to document the two years of their life when they were undergoing hormone replacement therapy. Not only is this an incredibly personal journey to undergo, it made for a beautiful and informational monograph. The monograph is called puberty and entailes vivid colors and mundane environments to really capture the ups and downs of this change. This photographer is a whirlwind of beauty and must be recognized.

https://www.laurencephilomene.com/store