Handprints are as unique as the faces of their owners, and drawing from that I want to build a photographic project that creates a space where they claim one another absolutely. And in that way, they are able to create their own markers in time, and exist as a piece of history, similarly mirroring what you would find in archeology journals and research articles. 

Friction ridge refers to the skin that covers the length of the fingers, across the palm, and the sole of the foot. It’s the skin that has the valley-mountain formations that are used to identify who you are.

The selection of photographs below is part of an on-going personal project I started shooting this year. I knew wanted to create something that revolved around identity, drawing from what I enjoy about photography and anthropology, inspired by archeology. Each subject used their dominant hand for the project – if they’re left-handed, print with left, and if they’re right-handed, right hand print.

The project came from the question ‘what would it look like if archeologists were able to match a handprint to its owner?’ Initially, I didn’t know how to put it into words, so I’ve been building the visual, and believe this rationale will evolve over time. As with my previous posts on this blog, I do my best to include people from an array of backgrounds, and it’s my hope that the project will reveal the similarities and differences in the handprints of people, for example, from specific regions, and within family lineages.

This was born from time I spent reading National Geographic magazines, and that formed the foundation of my interest in the human condition and psychology. I even wrote about my relationship with NatGeo for my alma mater’s admission blog, where I speak to using what inspired you as a child to navigate you toward what could potentially be a career or life path that fulfils you. I love that the post is still live – thank you CCAD.

This project has seen countless scribble-session iterations since its conception in 2018, and it means a lot to see it come to fruition. I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.

A huge thank you to everyone that said ‘YES’ to being in front of my camera, and been a part of this series so far. Y’all give me the warm fuzzies. 
And to the many encounters I’ve yet to have: thank you in advance.