Sen i or snapshots

Eleven seniors in the College of Visual and Performing Arts have been selected to show their photography work in Light Work’s annual gallery

By Sophie Cohen staff writer

Before senior Natalia Claas became an art photography major, she started her creative journey snapping pixelated images on her Nintendo DSi.

Now, Claas is among 11 seniors at Syracuse University featured in Light Work’s annual gallery, and after four years, she, and other artists have taken the opportunity to reflect on their time as photographers and students.

“Looking back at my time at SU, I’ve definitely cultivated a specific way for capturing the unpredictability of life,” Claas said.

Light Work’s “2023 VPA Photography

Annual” showcases two photographs from each of the 11 seniors in the art photography major. This gallery will be on display at Light Work in Watson Hall from Jan. 17 to March 10.

Artist Lydia McCarthy served as juror for the showcase this year and awarded Ryan from the kitchen seemed like the smart move.

Ally’s work Best of Show. Though, Ally hasn’t always been in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

During the summer before Ally’s sophomore year, he gained a new insight for his career and future. He worked with a Brooklyn-based entrepreneur that sold clothing, and Ally was the self-appointed ‘media guy’ for the company. He completely fell in love with the editorial work he was doing, he said.

“That summer job introduced me to a whole now career I could chase. I knew I needed to switch my major as soon as possible,” Ally said. “I’m now a senior in art photography, and it’s been a good ride so far.”

As a freshman, Ally was enrolled in the computer engineering major. He came from a trade high school in the Bronx where students had to choose a focus of engineering, architecture or construction, so majoring in computer engineering

Most of the photos displayed in Light Work relate to the seniors’ final thesis projects that they will present at the end of the semester. Ally’s project is about his parents’ home country of Guyana and their move to New York City as young adults. His project is a way to dive deeply into his Guyanese roots that he hadn’t connected with until recently.

“I never knew what box to check for race see photography page 7