to quote my friend julianne, "I have heard time and again that the internet is a bad place." it's true; you hear crazy stories every day. but my experience of the internet has been completely different than any you hear on the news. I've met my best friends here.
alienated by my "real" best friends, I was alone for most of my high school days. after awhile I turned to the internet for the companionship I missed, using a new art form to me, photography. I was quickly sucked into the cyberworld as I met these amazing people, reaching out to this online universe of people just like us.
this summer I have finally been able to meet some of my best friends after years of online messages, long phone calls, video chats, even sending letters and photos. I've also been able to meet some of my biggest inspirations.
tess and I have been friends for a long time, pretty much since I started photography. I got the chance to meet her last summer, and since then, she is like an old friend. when we're together, it's like no time has passed and we're chatting and laughing like friends do.
michelle is one of the funniest people I know. when we saw each other for the first time, I didn't even have that initial shock of "oh my gosh, this is real," because it just felt like we've known each other all along. we understand each other so well. I know we'll be friends for a long time.
rockie was (and still is) one of my favorite photographers. I have followed her work for a long time. she is gorgeous and so so talented, I loved getting to know her outside of her work.
anna (left) has something about her that always drew me to her work, I think it was the honesty in each photo and I really felt like I knew her. we have gotten really close this summer, seeing a lot of each other. I'm so happy to know her.
emily (right) is one of the bravest and strongest people I know. she has gone through so much and still manages to keep a smile on her face. she is sweet and generous, and her work is simply stunning. I'm honored to be her friend.
I have too much to say about this girl that I will try to keep short. audrey is one of my best friends, there's no doubt about that. we have been friends for two long years, two years that I have cherished. I used to go through her pictures for hours on end, computer screen glowing late into the night. we became friends quickly, and through video chatting I met her mother, brother, and best friend (in real life). she finally came to new york, and we spent two days together, nonstop talking and laughing. sometimes when you meet people from the internet, it's hard to keep conversations moving, but there was none of that with audrey. she is beautiful and adorable, I know our friendship is real and strong because it withstood two years of before finally meeting.
monika is so incredibly talented. I look at her work and am amazed that she only just graduated from high school. I know she is going places. I love spending time with her, she is so sweet and we get along so well. she and I will be living in new york for the next few years, I hope to see a lot of her.
(l-r) Metin, Jessie, Emily Wuetcher, Maggie Ann, Michelle, Kymbre (Rockie's roommate), Rockie
an amazing day of photographing strangers, eating frozen yogurt, and meeting old friends.
mary claire is so cute, so funny, and so incredibly talented. being from the west coast, I thought I'd never get the chance to meet her, but here she is, smiling for me in grand central station. I love her. so much.
I didn't know matt before the summer, but since he is friends with jordan (right), I got to meet him. I'm so glad I did, he is so much fun and so great at photography. jordan has been one of my favorite photographers for years, she is so creative and adorable.
meagan and I were a support system for each other during our most difficult times. I can remember one night in the pouring rain, sitting in my car while we cried to each other over the phone, spilling our pain to each other, miles and miles apart. I can't put into words how much she means to me.
natalie has been living with me for the past few weeks. what I like about spending time with her is that we talk about everything, not just photography and photographers. we have been exploring the city together, staying up late and waking early to another day of adventure. she'll be back next year, too long for me, but I know when she comes back it'll be like nothing changed.
so this has been my summer; meeting the people I've known for years. these are the people that have shaped my life and made me who I am.
the internet is not always a bad place. it can be everything to a lonely girl, alone in her mind, yearning for a friend. (that being said, still be careful)
