Christian K. Lee: Cancelled Prom

Christian K. Lee: Cancelled Prom by Aline SmithsonJuly 13, 2020

Jordan Buie, 18, foreground, wears the dress she planned on going to prom with before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns on Monday, May 11, 2020 in Killeen, Tx. “I cant keep stressing myself about something I cant control,” Orion said. Also pictured (left to right) is her brother Caleb Buie, 13, father Burnice Buie, 39, and mother Wilzata Buie, 38.

©Christian K. Lee, Jordan Buie, 18, foreground, wears the dress she planned on going to prom with before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns on Monday, May 11, 2020 in Killeen, Tx. “I cant keep stressing myself about something I cant control,” Orion said. Also pictured (left to right) is her brother Caleb Buie, 13, father Burnice Buie, 39, and mother Wilzata Buie, 38.

It’s not often that you get to meet a soldier who is also a photographer and a dedicated film shooter. I had the great pleasure of meeting Christian K. Lee and his work during the Annenberg/Photoville virtual portfolio reviews and much of our time was spent waxing rhapsodic about film cameras. In his free time, when he is not serving as a logistics officer in the Army, Christian’s practice considers communities in central Texas. Recently during Covid 19, he turned his camera towards high school seniors. As he states,”The pinnacle of the school year for many High School Seniors is Prom. In preparation some bought their outfits months in advance waiting for the opportunity to wear it to the highly anticipated event. Due to COVID-19 concerns the class of 2020 weren’t able to take part in it.” He packed up his cameras and made his rounds to photograph students in their evening finest, if only for a moment and memory of what might have been.

Christian K. Lee’s approach to photography is rooted in a Documentary background. No matter what he covers, he’s ultimately interested in the effect it has on people and illustrating that through photography. Currently he’s a Soldier serving in Texas and is always exploring his community looking for stories and interesting people to photograph. Currently he primarily use analog photography as his primary medium of choice.

Lee has held internships at the LA Times, Washington Post, Associated Press and Las Vegas Review-Journal. He is an attendee of the Missouri Photo Workshop, New York Times Portfolio Review, Mountain Photo Workshop and recently he was accepted into a Virtual Portfolio Review produced by the Annenberg Space for Photography and Photoville.

He initially grew a desire to learn photography because he felt that the images he saw of his community was one sided and often didn’t depict the whole truth of his hometown, Chicago. Whatever community he documents he’s ultimately interested in documenting the whole truth.

Facebook: Christian K. Lee
Instagram: @chrisklee_jpeg

Faith Dearing, 18, wears her sister’s prom queen sash along with the dress she planned on wearing to prom before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns as her mother and father drapes a backdrop behind her on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 in Killeen, Tx. “For two years I waited to run for prom queen to fulfill what my sister did when she was in high school but now I won’t be able to,” Dearing said. [Image produced on 120 film using a Pentax 6x7 Medium Format Film Camera]

©Christian K. Lee, Faith Dearing, 18, wears her sister’s prom queen sash along with the dress she planned on wearing to prom before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns as her mother and father drapes a backdrop behind her on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 in Killeen, Tx. “For two years I waited to run for prom queen to fulfill what my sister did when she was in high school but now I won’t be able to,” Dearing said. [Image produced on 120 film using a Pentax 6×7 Medium Format Film Camera]

Cancelled Prom

I was motivated to document High School Seniors whose prom was cancelled due to COVID-19. The idea came along after a short conversation with my younger cousin at which time I learned that she would also be losing her prom. I really wanted to do something that not only acknowledged her but the very own Seniors of my community as well. The pinnacle of the school year for many High School Seniors is their Prom. In preparation some buy their outfits months in advance waiting for the opportunity to wear it to the highly anticipated event. This project aims to highlight them.

Demareyo Tittle, 18, foreground, wears part of the outfit he planned on going to prom with along with his homecoming king sash and crown before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns on Saturday, May 9, 2020 in Killeen, Tx. “I feel like we wasted our money,” Tittle said. Also pictured (left to right) is his grandmother Erma Allen, 36, brother Omarie Tittle, 16, and mother Juanita Franklin, 36. [Image produced on 120 film using a Pentax 6x7 Medium Format Film Camera]

©Christian K. Lee, Demareyo Tittle, 18, foreground, wears part of the outfit he planned on going to prom with along with his homecoming king sash and crown before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns on Saturday, May 9, 2020 in Killeen, Tx. “I feel like we wasted our money,” Tittle said. Also pictured (left to right) is his grandmother Erma Allen, 36, brother Omarie Tittle, 16, and mother Juanita Franklin, 36. [Image produced on 120 film using a Pentax 6×7 Medium Format Film Camera]

Alexis Iliff, 18, center, wears the prom dress she planned on wearing to prom before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns on Saturday, May 9, 2020 in Lampasas, Tx. It is a tradition at her school for couples to walk across the bridge she is seen on the day of prom. “The whole town comes out and it makes you feel special like a red carpet moment,” Iliff said. Also pictured (left to right) is her father Sammy Fernandez, 39, boyfriend Jonathan Jonas, 18, younger brother Kaiden Fernandez, 12, and mother Dawn Fernandez, 41. [Image produced on 120 film using a Pentax 6x7 Medium Format Film Camera]

©Christian K. Lee, Alexis Iliff, 18, center, wears the prom dress she planned on wearing to prom before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns on Saturday, May 9, 2020 in Lampasas, Tx. It is a tradition at her school for couples to walk across the bridge she is seen on the day of prom. “The whole town comes out and it makes you feel special like a red carpet moment,” Iliff said. Also pictured (left to right) is her father Sammy Fernandez, 39, boyfriend Jonathan Jonas, 18, younger brother Kaiden Fernandez, 12, and mother Dawn Fernandez, 41. [Image produced on 120 film using a Pentax 6×7 Medium Format Film Camera]

©Christian K. Lee,Velociti Gould, 18, wears the prom dress she planned on wearing to prom before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns on Thursday, May 14, 2020 in Belton, Tx. She planned to attend the event with her younger brother Mason Gould, 16, left, and older brother Gregory Gould, 19 who are pictured in the background. Also seen is their mother Jennifer Coy, 44.

Elena Russey, 17, wears the dress she planned on wearing to prom before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns as her mother and brother drapes a backdrop behind her on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 in Killeen, Tx. “I saw people laughing at the memes about our prom and graduation being cancelled and it really made me sad”. [Image produced on 120 film using a Pentax 6x7 Medium Format Film Camera]

©Christian K. Lee, Elena Russey, 17, wears the dress she planned on wearing to prom before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns as her mother and brother drapes a backdrop behind her on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 in Killeen, Tx. “I saw people laughing at the memes about our prom and graduation being cancelled and it really made me sad”. [Image produced on 120 film using a Pentax 6×7 Medium Format Film Camera]

Alma Acosta, 18, wears the prom dress she planned on wearing to prom before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns on Friday, May 15, 2020 in Harker Heights, Tx. “I was upset at first but I almost immediately started my transition into college,” Acosta said. She is an Honor Roll student at her school.

©Christian K. Lee, Alma Acosta, 18, wears the prom dress she planned on wearing to prom before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns on Friday, May 15, 2020 in Harker Heights, Tx. “I was upset at first but I almost immediately started my transition into college,” Acosta said. She is an Honor Roll student at her school.

Tags: Christian K. Lee, Covid 19, Large Format