I was skimming the Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition, with one eye on the Olympics and the other on a bag of tortilla chips, when my gaze came to rest on a photograph of a 24 year old schizophrenic who had recently killed his mother. This was no ordinary photograph. Beautifully composed, capturing an attractive young man and his father with just enough information to let us know that as well dressed and handsome as he might be, something tragic was afoot. I knew that this must be a special kind of photographer, able to capture the essence of someone and something in a single frame.

Shoshannah White straddles the fine art and editorial world with her imagery. A number of series are enhanced with scratched or encaustic surfaces, creating mysterious and other worldly effects.