I’ve realized that self-reflection doesn’t always need to be a lonely, internalized process.

While it is something intimate to strive to understand myself better, I have found that I can see pieces of myself all around me. They are in my friends and my environment, in the unusual and the everyday. I’ve been able to reconcile my thoughts about my own identity with the things which surround me.

As an anhedonia sufferer since 2016, pleasure has often eluded me and barriers have risen in my way. My friends have played a key part in the process of overcoming these obstacles. The perspectives I capture remind me of the new perspectives I’ve gained from those close to me.

I’ve taken images that show intimacy and objectivity—a reflection of the lens through which I’ve looked critically at myself and eventually made peace with who I am. This series is an exploration of the influences in my life and the person they have made me.

It’s a journey I’m still on, and one I’m excited to continue.