A vegetarians worst nightmare
Walking onto my friends family farm in New Hampshire, I see my first dead deer carcass. Gutted and bleed. Seven years as a vegetarian did not prepare me for this experience. Yet, it gave me a sense of empathy, understanding and morbid curiosity.
Sacrifice
Yes, this creature was no longer living, but it would fill the bellies of the farm. And yet, the undignified carcass was still haunting my dreams.
Sacrifice-- the exchange of something for something else. Sacrifice can be emotional, physical, spiritual, religious, personal, or for the greater good. After the initial "shoot" with the deer, I began the series with images of myself with lipstick, flour, and a mirror. I then began to photograph sacrificing my friends with lipstick, red paint and other makeup objects.As they are the dearest to me, they become the gift of sacrifice to something more than myself.
Using lipstick and long exposure, I deconstructed their bodies, as well as my own psyche.