INTERVIEW WITH ELLIE GARRETT
Ellie was a Senior in AP photography, and her concentration last year was Gender Equality through photos. Her photos are breathtaking and truthful. I had the privilege of interviewing her on her artwork and just thoughts on Gender Equality.
When did feminism become a major part of your life?
E: when I was little and whenever I used to burp or fart in public someone would always say "that's so unlady like" and it always used to piss me off. I thought. Why does it make a difference? I am a person and that is a human bodily function why does it matter? I would then just go on with my day. Then in later years I started to notice how different expectations were
set for me as a woman and it angered me. Last year my friend cate and I started to create different ideas that played to society's views on women and also people in general I wrote them all down and then made it my mission to take AP photo where I knew I could create the images I wanted and then have the ability to put my opinions out there. So I guess these past few years I have taken more of an interest but I have always seen feminism as an important part of life
Which piece is your favorite and why?
E: It's really hard to chose a favorite piece because honestly they all contain different art elements that make them special. The image of the three girls in a line then with "it's all the same" is one of my top 3. I love the exposure of the image and the way the girls are framed in the image. Also shooting this photo was really fun. I find it funny how some people are so shocked by the fact my friends were willing to get naked in front of me and a camera. In reality I think it's amazing that there is a trust between the four of us. They knew I was going to respect their bodies and not expose more than what they were willing to do. Also don’t they all look great!? Their bodies and faces are 100% real and I think they look so beautiful raw and powerful
Was there one particular person who inspired you?
E: There was never any specific person who really inspired me. One of my best friends, Cate Brust, holds very similar beliefs to me. So when we started talking about woman and the way that society viewed them we started bouncing off of each other's ideas. We inspired each other to take the idea one step further to create an image that sparked controversy in multiple ways.