Lorraine Olivia Hamberger
Born and raised in Milwaukie, Oregon, I am an even-handed Pisces with eyes and ears wide open. With a background in literature and language, I have slowly grown into the field of documentary photography, fusing my creative vision and passion for story-telling.
I find inspiration in both the rapidly changing, and the sturdily invariable - aren't we all living within that intersection? The outside world and our inner worlds are inconstant, yet we strive to be near to a solid center, and to have a home. Our stories as humans, and as part of the collective natural world, can give us that home. With this in mind, I emphasize storytelling and documentation as tools for power, recognition, and problem solving.
2020 has been incredibly hard for all of us. Many of my photo projects focus on recognition and awareness of America and our social landscape. Currently, it feels like we're all very aware of America's social landscape; it's in our face seemingly at every moment, and it can feel suffocating. For this collection of photographs, I wanted to give the viewer a lighter experience with more of an atmosphere of hope and intuitive connection with nature. Know that as a human, you always have a home in nature, for you are a part of it, and finding a sense of belonging in nature is your birthright - let it cradle you. But also let it ignite a passion for the future. I truly believe the answers humanity is searching for lies within the cycles and relationships the natural world has already established. We must submerge ourselves into the effeminate ways of the earth and listen to its lessons; for our betterment and for our survival.