The Frame Doesn’t Hold Me (2023)

Polaroid I2, Itype film

"Within every frame, the body remembers what the soul cannot say—etched in ink, captured in silence."

This portrait has stayed with me for years, not only for its visual presence but for the ethical weight it carries. I met the woman by chance while photographing in an abandoned building in Halifax. She allowed me to make two Polaroids — one for her, one for myself — and while the exchange was consensual, I’ve long questioned whether sharing the image publicly would cross into exploitation. For me, this photograph is not just about aesthetics, but about the responsibility a photographer holds: to honor a subject’s humanity, especially in moments of vulnerability. It took me two years to feel comfortable posting it, and even now, I do so with both gratitude and humility.