We were lucky to catch up with Daphne Addison recently and have shared our conversation below.

Daphne, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I have worked on is titled ‘The Commonality of Death.’ I completed this project over a couple of years. I have always been interested in death, and the careers and professionals that make up the death industry. This idea came to me in a different form than it ended up being; however, the meaning remained the same. For this project, I wanted to highlight how places in your everyday routine hold deeper histories: a landmark on your daily commute, your own house, or your favorite place can hold tragedy and intense history, as in the locations presented in this work’s portfolio. Often, without the passerby even realizing the history that these locations hold. The images in this collection represent history and the stories of these people and events dating back to the early 1900’s. It is the most meaningful to me, not only because it shares a passion I have held close for years, but it forces people to get out of their comfort zones, because bringing up death in everyday life is generally considered taboo; however, pressing the envelope allows for growth in how death and the death industry are perceived. Eventually, I hope to expand this collection to include other locations around the world, because it is my favorite collection to date.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I became interested in photography when I was a little kid. I started out photographing the nature around me, and I progressed to photos I took while traveling. In high school, I really settled on the idea that photography was what I wanted to do, and I set out to make that happen. I attended the Savannah College of Art and Design for photography. It was while I was earning my bachelor’s degree in photography that I decided to shift my focus to forensic/crime scene photography as my new career pursuit. This is when I decided to pursue my Master’s of Science in Crime Scene Investigation. My favorite type of photography to take and provide for my clients are urbanscapes or landscapes of the world around us. However, I also provide portraits and documentary photography for client websites and social media. I am most proud of remaining authentic in a crazy, manipulated industry. I hold to my standards and boundaries and am unwilling to bend to peer pressure that would diminish my craft, purely for the sake of less time or faster processing. Overall, I want people to know that I am authentic, inspired, and creative, and that I strive to highlight the little things often missed in the world. I want my images to feel like a breath of fresh air, and images that go farther than being a pretty image, and actually have a critical impact on the viewer.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In college, I was knee-deep in my bachelor’s degree in photography when, in the middle of one of my projects, I realized my life’s dream had shifted. While I still loved photography and wanted to continue pursuing it, I wanted to focus on a different area than I had thought I would. However, this realization made sense to me. I had always been interested in stories about funeral directors, nurses, doctors, forensics, investigators, mortuaries, and officers. I thought long and hard about whether I wanted to pursue forensic photography over traditional photography. When I was sure it was not just a phase or a lingering interest, I further reassured myself by interviewing professionals in the field I wanted to enter. I asked their advice, what their daily life was like, and how they liked their job. I did ride-alongs with law enforcement officers, and I felt prepared to move forward with this dream. That has landed me here, almost ready to head out in the real world with my new degree in hand, in search of the way forward between internships, law enforcement agencies, and job postings. While it wasn’t easy, I do feel rewarded for coming this far and for allowing myself to pursue my dreams.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the ability to dream anything you can imagine and then make it happen. The power of a single idea, color, or spark that ignites something that can portray a unique experience. Being a creative means seeing things no one else does and applying every experience and memory to make art that impacts those around you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://daphneratliff3.wixsite.com/daphnesphotography
• Instagram: daphneratliff.photography

Image Credits

Daphne Addison