The Calling: The Story that Inspired a Photo shoot

In The Calling—one of my short works of literary fiction—a young woman finds herself sitting next to a peculiar stranger in a busy NYC park. The two spend the afternoon taking photographs and, after parting ways, the woman discovers that the exchange has inspired her to view life in a new light. At the urging of the photographer, she spends the night navigating through darkness by choosing to believe what she sees.

All Walks: The Photo Collection Inspired by a Story

Given that photography is a central theme in The Calling, I was inspired to create a visual re-telling of it. The original goal of the All Walks project was to take the actual photos described in the text. That portion of the collection was completed during a shoot in NYC’s Tompkins Square Park in Spring, 2025. The scope has since expanded to include the finger-frames the character visualizes after putting down the camera. One of the finger-frame photos has been completed (cover photo) and the rest will be taken in 2026. After which, the entire collection will be available for gallery exhibition.  

Feet—that’s the subject matter our protagonist homes-in on. She spends the day watching the feet of passersby in the park and, after leaving, continues to notice how footwear can provide clues about a person’s journey. The character’s behavior represents her struggle with finding direction in her own life. She is using this visual exercise to consider a fork in her own road. 

A Theme: Everything In the Light is Also in the Dark

The protagonist’s inner world conflicts with what she projects to others. She desires to acknowledge what’s hidden, but cannot shed light on what is lurking in the shadows. This collection of photos represents that struggle. The photographs the character manifests into physical existence depict other people doing wholesome activities during daylight hours. By contrast, the ones that only exist in her mind tell a different story about her reality. The moments she catalogues in her imagination paint a much darker picture, one that she must bring to light before it’s too late.