Hi, I'm Susannah Stevens
I think that the practice of noticing brings richness to our lives. I don't always remember to notice, but my camera reminds me to do it. When I hold it, I pay more attention to the way the light shapes the world around us, and the small things that make people unique.
I am more attractied to stories than scenery. Photos are more interesting to me with people in them.
In my twenties, I took a year-long backpacking trip around Asia. Traveling overland, I took notice of the way the cultures gradually shifted along with the landscape. Everything was vibrant and fascinating.
I carried a small point-and-shoot camera and found myself constantly taking pictures. Along the way I realized that many of them were actually pretty good.
My graduate thesis project followed the MARC commuter train line between Washington, DC and Baltimore, exploring the everyday lives and overlooked places along the tracks.
Returning to DC, where I grew up, I enrolled in the MA program in photojournalism at the Corcoran College of Art & Design. I studied both still photography and documentary video.
I worried that compared to Asia, DC would seem dull and it would be hard to find compelling subjects to cover. But I discovered that there are stories unfolding all around us all the time.
I had a baby while I was in school, and that was when I discovered the potential of family photography. My daughter and my niece and nephew are my most frequent muses.
Photographing my own family deepened my appreciation for how much meaning lives in ordinary moments. When I photograph other families, I try to bring that same attention and care. It’s a privilege to be welcomed into people’s lives in this way, and I’m grateful for it.
