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Rachelle Lee Smith is an award winning, nationally and internationally shown and published photographer. With a BFA in photography, Rachelle has spent the majority of her photographic career taking photographs not simply as a photographer, but also as an activist. Although her subject matter varies, her innate vision to capture the life and energy of a scene takes precedence in every image.
Although her subject matter varies, her innate vision to capture the life and energy of a scene takes precedence in every image. Although more apt to grab a 35mm camera and take to the streets during a demonstration, or quietly capturing a tender moment, with this ongoing project,“Pride Prejudice; voices of LGBTQ youth," Rachelle has pulled herself from natural happenstance that would typically allow the photograph to do all of the talking to a controlled studio environment where she allows the subjects alone to express themselves and speak their minds.
Over the last decade Rachelle has been working and continues to work on a photography project that allows her as an artist and activist, along with LGBTQ youth, to be heard and seen through a means of imagery and words. Rachelle’s “subjects” have been shot against a stark white backdrop not to single them out, but rather to eliminate environmental influence allowing her to capture natural, raw emotions. Without a presented environment to tell their story or text to tell their tale, these people are presented as just that- people… judgment and stereotype free. Only when the subject is presented in collaboration with the subjects’ own text and handwriting do we find out their commonalities and their individual stories. Each person is given the spotlight and a chance to have voice… if nothing else, through these photographs. Her goal is for these images to reach as many people (regardless of age, gender, race, or sexual orientation) as possible with the hopes of providing an outlet, showing support, opening minds, and helping those who struggle. Rachelle believes there is strength in numbers, power in words, and freedom in art and she strives to raise awareness in hopes that one day the prejudice and hate will cease to exist.
Shot against a stark white background, Rachelle's photographs allow her subjects to appear naturally and reveal raw emotions, without environmental influence or outside suggestion. The pictures themselves are only half of each piece. Only after the subject has written his or her personal story in the white space of his or her portrait does the completed work take shape.
Michael, 2002:
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Jo Ellen, 2001:
Anonymous, 2001:
Mandy, 2007:
For more information about Rachelle and to see her other work, visit her website.
To help Rachelle fund her project please visit her Kickstarter page!
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