While it takes some students many years to find what they love, Convent of the Sacred Heart junior Allison Bornstein has already found her passion in photography. Even though she started taking photographs less than a year ago, her work has been noticed by a prestigious art organization RAW which celebrates promising young artists.
Allison’s inspiration to become a photographer was perhaps a matter of coincidence. Upon injuring herself before she was scheduled to attend a dance workshop, Allison decided to attend a two-week photography course at the School of Cinema and Performing Arts in Manhattan. Allison considers this brief workshop to be the beginning of her journey as a photographer.
courtesy of Allison Bornstein ’14
“It was an unexpected, unanticipated, and initially, unwanted relationship that began to grow faster than I had ever imagined,” Allison said. “After I was injured, I believed I would never again discover something I loved as ardently as dance.”
Once Allison started taking photographs, she began to realize how much she had fallen in love with photography. Over the year she has learned to use it as a method of self-expression.
“Not only is photography a source of my own personal expression and emotion, but during times of hardship, it has also helped me cope with past difficulties,” Allison said.
Although she has been taking pictures for such a short period of time, her passion for photography is continuously evolving. Alison’s first love is street photography; however, she has recently been incorporating black and white portraits into her portfolio. Her favorite photograph features a man working at a hotdog stand in Coney Island last summer.
“I had never spoken to this stranger, but captured in the photo was effortless warmth in his expression that instantly made me fall in love with photography,” Allison said. “At that moment, I realized that alike many other art forms, photography is a universal language that speaks to every population and culture.”
Although Upper School Photography teacher Ms. Kev Filmore has only been teaching Allison since September, she recognizes her student’s talent and determined work ethic.
“Her excitement and dedication to her work and the medium is contagious and thrilling to be around,” Ms. Filmore said. “She enjoys the limelight, gets positive feedback from a much broader audience and has fun doing it.”
Allison’s new position as a member of RAW gives her greater publicity in the artistic community, allowing her to display and sell her work. RAW exposes emerging artists in 54 artistic communities across the United States and Australia through monthly showcase events that feature a film screening, musical performance, fashion show, and art gallery. In fact, on Friday, April 12, Allison was able to exhibit her work at a RAW showcase in Brooklyn.
Allison hopes that through her participation in the organization she will meet many other aspiring artists who share the same level of passion as she does. Her ultimate goal is to learn more about other photographer’s personal styles and hopefully incorporate new techniques into her own work.
In terms of Allison’s photographic future, her hope is to continue to learn more about photography and further master her talents.
“I hope to continue to study photography in the future and learn as much as possible about this art form,” Allison said.
– Grace Isford, Staff Writer
King Street Chronicle
King Street Chronicle
Famous photographer in the hallways
One of Allison’s favorite photographs captures a spontaneous moment at a hotdog stand in Coney Island
courtesy of Allison Bornstein ’14
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