With the click of a button and a snap of a lens, Convent of the Sacred Heart senior, Allison Bornstein, will be flashing into Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) next year to pursue her dreams of photography.
Allison started to take photography classes with Upper School Photography Teacher Ms. Kev Filmore in her junior year of high school. Ms. Filmore, who taught Allison the basics of photography, introduced her to Maine Media Workshops where she was able to expand her knowledge of the arts.
“I took an advanced digital photography class which really taught me a lot about how to approach strangers in a friendly way and especially to set up a photograph not simply snap a picture,” Allison said.
Since then, her work has been displayed at exhibits in both Connecticut and New York. Recently, her photos were shown in the Concordia College OSilas Gallery in Bronxville. Upper School Art Teacher, Mrs. Paula Westcott, also accompanied Allison to the Scholastic Writing and Art Competition in Hartford, CT where Allison received a regional Gold Key for her art portfolio. The Gold Key is the highest level award for high school photographers.
Inspired by the work of photographers like Diana Arbus and Sally Mann, Allison captures pictures of individuals in her community, especially children and young adults. She likes to take her photos in the streets of New York City and at carnivals.
“My interest in kids and teenagers spurs from their energy,” Allison said. “I’m mainly a street photographer so when someone catches my eye, it is usually because they have a lot of expression.”
This school year, Allison is taking Advanced Portfolio and Advanced Placement Studio Art, where she has learned to incorporate her photographs into other forms of art. For example, Allison collaged and transferred her photographs onto matte paper using rubbing alcohol to create a dated look.
“Allison is very talented,” Mrs. Westcott said. “Her photography is really unique in such a way that the child can be doing something ordinary, yet she captures them at a moment when their thoughts seems deeper than what they are doing.”
Although she was interested in other colleges, such as the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, she chose to apply rolling admission to SCAD in May 2013 because of its location and exceptional facilities.
“Georgia is beautiful and Savannah is a small, historic town which has a lot of charm,” Allison said.
Before beginning college in September, Allison plans to intern at Ramscale Studios in West Village, New York as an assistant to the studio manager. With the dream of becoming a photojournalist for The New York Times, Allison hopes to take her passion to the next level at SCAD.
“I know how good the photography program is at SCAD and I think she will fit in there and do very well,” Ms. Filmore said.
– Alice Millerchip, Co-Sports and Health Editor