Who Am I?

IPC Visual Lab students are encouraged to engage in visual discovery of self.  IPC Visual Lab student Andriana turns her camera upon herself and giving us a slight view of the complexity of her identity as she transforms to being a photojournalist.  

Who am I? What defines me, what sets me apart? A question, the answer to which might seem so obvious, but nevertheless complex. Who you are is who you learn to be in an everlasting process of transformation…

TO BE A WOMAN… Such a wonderful world is that of a woman. It’s about abundance and intensity of emotions, vulnerability, passion and compassion, beauty and love, tears and laughter – unfortunately often mistaken for weakness.  A woman is a creature always alert, always alive, always in search. She can be the artist, the scientist, the leader; or she can be a mom, a wife, a grandma; she can also be a lover, a girlfriend or somebody’s passion. But what makes her stand out – is that often she can be many of the above performing all with greatness. A woman’s world is very broad – it’s never simple. It’s a destiny of struggle on attaining perfection in everything she does. A woman is a layered creature; to underestimate her power is foolish and mischief.



TO BE IN LOVE… Doing what you love can wear you out at times.  There are such days when… you wake up at 5 am to be on location for the sunrise to photograph that surfer who will ride the wave of his life. The winds are perfect, the sky is clear enough. You are excited to greet another amazing day. What can be better than call this work? You get to the beach, unload your truck, a few heavy bags full with lenses and gear press on your shoulder, a tripod is balancing on the other, cameras are hanging on your neck defying gravity – you sprint like a foal. You rush to get that golden hour. The sky is still clear, only a small cloud is looming but you don’t think it’s going to come your way. The surfer is warming up, catching small waves, incrementally pumping the adrenaline. The sun is almost perfectly aligned. You are all set to catch him wrapped in the wave, but the sun is still short on shining through the cyan clear water. Everything seems perfect but that cloud. It looks like it stubbornly shifts his anger toward you. He is lonely in the sky; you can’t blame him for wanting some attention. Can you be mad with nature? How can you? You welcome him and let him pour his deep emotions. It’s overwhelmingly serendipitous. The only thing is that you can’t share the glory. It’s his time to shine.  Such is the nature of your work. You can’t say you didn’t show up for work – but you have nothing to show for your results. You realize that the only thing that keeps you trying is doing what you LOVE! You get home; you are tired, but soon ready to take on another shot.

TO BE A LEARNER… Life is such a blessing, so surprising; always ready to prove you that you don’t know enough. It’s generous to teach you everything you need to know to face it with more wisdom and perhaps more joy. How lucky are we to have the testimonies of those who passed along? Those who thought about the things, way too important to ignore? Those who made mistakes enough to learn a better way… and then share it with those willingly to take on the relay race, to build upon… Books, photographs, tapes – comprise a history, experiences; they are the voice that lives forever. You identify with that; you live YOUR life, you make your own conclusions. And then it’s time for you to do the same. Cause a change, share, excite, and make work that matters – ‘cause then you die. And what is it that you leave behind?

                                                                                      Andriana M.

Sunrise Beach

Video by Jennifer Kay

South Beach. Everyone thinks they already know everything about it. Topless beaches, grisly crimes, restless crowds, flashy cars, neon and police sirens, plastic people and pastel buildings. It’s the South Beach that’s rude and bold and famous. 

People ask me why I live at the beach, and I think they expect an answer that glitters. Something about the beach’s frenzy or the Art Deco or the way everyone looks in the heat.

They expect the tourist beach. I live at the beach, though, and it’s not the same place.

I set out on this visual journey to share the South Beach that I experience. It’s a quieter place, where people live and work instead of showing off and partying. I set out in the mornings, shortly after sunrise, to highlight the difference between my neighborhood and “South Beach.” In those early hours, the light is softer. You can see the discipline that balances the beach’s hedonism, the workouts that perfect the famously fit bodies and the workers cleaning up the previous night’s activities. There’s room to move in the mornings, and even room and time to pause, because the crowds are still asleep. 

When I moved to Miami, I chose to live on South Beach because, of course, I wanted to live near the water. I also wanted to live in a neighborhood where I could walk around, where I didn’t require a car, where I could feel energized by my environment instead of feeling overwhelmed, and where I could see other people utilizing the beach in similar ways. These images are my reasons for still living on the beach.