Prom Night

There is something about coming of age that has always fascinated me. Seeking and forming an identity beyond childhood, with limited experience and knowledge, is a curious stage. We become self-conscious about our appearance and may compare ourselves to others, which can lead to feelings of insecurity or confidence and sometimes a bit of both. We want to be seen and included. Some of us learn that we can exert our power over others and some of us feel powerless. 

We begin experiencing new emotions, making many of our own choices, developing our own style, experimenting, exploring and confronting our sexuality. We build strong relationships outside of our families and look for stability and emotional fulfillment in the outside world. It’s a pivotal time in our lives.

On prom night, all of these feelings are front and center in a way that I find compelling. In 2018, I began photographing this pivotal event for what became my ongoing project “Prom Night.”