Parker Gibbons is an 18-year-old photographer and freshman student at the University of Utah. He recently shot and released a series entitled "Resolve" which shares New Year's resolutions from the subjects depicted. These simply shot images allow the subjects to be honest and silently share thoughts they may otherwise not share. The results from the series range from the more comical "Be Rad" to the more introspective and honest "Authenticity to self and others."
I encourage you to take a couple of minutes to view the series. The New Year's resolution photo series may for some seem trite, but I believe Gibbons has done a good job of not only shooting the series but showing subjects for who they really are. In most of the 22-part series we seem to get an honest window into the subject themselves.
Approaching strangers for photos seems so intimidating at first, but most are surprisingly accepting if you handle it the right way. Of course I got a few people yelling at me, and got kicked out of two buildings. As far as approaching strangers, I’ve found that it’s important to remain calm, hold your camera by your side so it’s seen but not in their face, and have an honest and concise explanation of what you’re doing.
The story behind the photographer makes the series that much more interesting. The 18 year old has been shooting since he was 10 and has equal passions for filmmaking as well as photography as a means of storytelling. Growing up in a smaller community Gibbons found photography not only a means to make some extra cash as a kid but also a more accessible medium and a genre that allowed him to post, share, and receive critique quickly. My impression of Gibbons is someone that is not only driven but has a clear vision, a rarity for someone his age.
You can find the entirety of the series here.
You can't help but get that tingly feeling of joy, from people wanting to do better for themselves and others!
Here come the unicorns!