Nostalgia in the Summer

Memories converge to create the people we become, their weight impacting how we observe, experience, and interact with our present lives. The long, hazy summer days of our youth, the warmth of suburban neighborhoods, glowing sunsets, human connections and relationships, laughter, first loves, the beautiful memories we never want to forget. My photos are captured through the lens of memory; suggesting the dreamy weight of nostalgia. Where there are moments that take my breath away or leave me feeling awestruck, I’m able to hold onto them through my photos, allowing me to express the importance of reflection and emotional weight of memory. Taking photos of these youthful stages of my life allows me to appreciate the things most others wouldn’t ordinarily notice. By isolating the emotional weight of memory with photography, I can understand how they work to further develop my sense of self. I take photos during the times I’ll miss most when I grow older in order to never forget where I came from, serving as a reminder to myself of my humanity and all the times that have shaped me to who and what I am at this present moment in time. Being able to look back on my photos through the lens of memory has allowed me to appreciate my life for what I have in the moment- before fading into memory.

-Leah Blom