STASIA SCHMIDT - EXPOSURE EMERGING PHOTOGRAPHERS SHOWCASE

glacier ice, moonlight, fingers of red banded stone
slick basalt, golden glow, ancient floes washed ashore
rivers rage towards oblivion as she watches, perched on edge
longing for sublimation, illumination, an invitation
to be a witness, watching the earth as it unfurls
or maybe a lover, to feel the gentle caress
of time dancing on the wind
asking her to surrender
to the ephemeral
a crack, a crash
a gleam of light
and she is
gone

This series of self portraits, titled "Ephemerality", are all shot in harsh, unforgiving environments - traditionally considered adventure domains for men. I swathed myself in phantom-like layers, not to be invisible, but rather to emphasize femininity and impermanence in landscapes that are so much more fragile than we previously imagined.

Shot in Greenland, Mongolia, and the Canadian Rockies.

BIOGRAPHY

When I look through the viewfinder of my camera I see potential to subvert expectations - real or contrived, societal or self-imposed. There’s a freedom in allowing my imagination to run wild, knowing I can set up my camera and follow the creative spark to the trail it illuminates. Every shot has the potential to deepen what I know about myself and challenge how others perceive me or my subject. Boundaries of what’s expected dissolve, cliches fall away, and what remains is something altogether more vivid, more resonant, more provocative.

Whether creating surreal self portraits or capturing awe inspiring vistas, my goal is to invite the viewer to that experience, and perhaps question the edges of their own expectations.

After growing up as a free ranging bush kid in northern British Columbia, I’ve spent most of my adult life in Alberta. Living in Calgary, right next to the wilds of the Canadian Rockies, is an incredible privilege that inspires me daily. No matter where my search for new experiences takes me, my roots are firmly planted here.