Photography: In the Hussman school’s news photography course, I honed my picture-taking and storytelling skills together, creating visionary tales through the lens of a camera.
After receiving the all-clear to run, Addison demonstrates her running technique, bounding excitedly across the turf inside of the Loudermilk weight room on UNC’s campus. “I can’t believe it’s finally happening!” she excitedly declares in a moment of raw, enthused energy. After having had to wait a grueling 2 weeks before being given the definitive “okay” to run, Addison’s expression could not make her absolute elation to be back doing what she loves any more apparent.
Hidden under the veil of a lifeless, once-vibrant maple leaf, a tiny, timid snake attempts to camouflage itself amongst the similarly-colored foliage. Having stumbled across this small creature off the path of Bolin Creek on October 24, 2022, the photographer noticed the almost-too-perfectly-hidden creature out of the corner of her eye. Its ability to remain hidden amongst the meager concealment of few scant twigs and leaves undoubtedly displays the robustness of this wild animal, whose ability to camouflage itself ensures its survival in an unforgiving environment. A curiosity in its ability to remain hidden reveals a truly mysterious creature- more often hidden than seen, this creature owes its life to its patience in playing a never-ending game of hide-and-seek. “We didn’t even see that thing!” two curious passerbys commented on the small brown snake.
Untethered, unable to be bound by the hand that outstretches for its feathery exterior, a leaf-on-the-run escapes the grips of a captor whose identity is hidden in shadow. Captured on October 24, 2021, the leaf made its escape down Bolin Creek off of the beaten path. In the eyes of the photographer, the essence and “mystery” observable here is representative of this leaf’s final destination: where is it headed? Where will it stop? Or is it, perhaps, destined to wander the lengths of this creek until the end of time? “Perhaps, I, too, will end up like this leaf…” the photographer thought in a moment of solitude.
Shrouded in shadow, the aid of an alight lamp accentuates the figure of Addison Pignetti, who, like she does on most days, watches passerby through her apartment window. Noticing a runner, Pignetti remarks, “I hope they don’t take it for granted! I wish I could be doing that more than anything!” Having been unable to run due to persistent inflammation, much like the shadows that enshroud her, Addison, at times, feels suffocated by her inability to run; yet, like the lamp that prevents the room’s encompassing darkness from completely enclosing her, her positive outlook keeps her afloat- “I’ll be back running before I even know it!” she told me in a moment of sudden elation.
