I am please to share the work of our second honorable mention, Alyssa Minahan, and her series Once Seen. Alyssa’s work derives from the romanticism of the vernacular. These brief vignettes are marveled in simplicity, and informed by a transfixed gaze. Not only has Alyssa recently graduated from New England School of Photography, but she is also in a group show, Finding the Light, at the PhotoPlace Gallery. The exhibition was juried by Don Ross, and will be installed from July 1^st-July 25^th.

After a career in investment banking, Alyssa decided to pursue her passion for photography. Recently graduated from the New England School of Photography with Honors, Alyssa focuses on fine art black and white, fine art color and documentary photography. She works in both analog and digital formats. She has exhibited her work at Panopticon Gallery, F-Stop Magazine, The Center for Fine Art Photography, PhotoPlace Gallery (upcoming), Black Box Gallery and Art Intersection. In addition, she was selected to participate in Flash Forward Festival’s 2014 student exhibition. Alyssa lives in Brookline, MA with her husband, two sons and dog.

Once Seen

Each day, between the joys and challenges of living, small moments present themselves to me, causing me to stop what I am doing to marvel or wonder. Whether out to the movies with my family or walking my dog in the backyard, I find these occurrences that hint at something beyond the subject, something enigmatic that binds us together. This selection of photographs is a visual poem, capturing a singular human experience.

The recognition of an image I want to capture occurs when a visual cue triggers a memory, a thought, a dream. I then decontextualize my subject within the frame in order to focus on a movement, a light, or a color. By being present to my surroundings, a heightened level of awareness is achieved. When this happens, I am acutely aware of the mysterious world we live in.

The magic in every day, once seen, remains with me, creating veneration for all that I will never know about this life. By capturing these images, I have a greater appreciation for the beauty of our existence.