Olivia Salerno

Chosen Family, is a series of photographs that capture the dynamic between myself and my two longtime best friends named Abby and Jordan. This series displays the concept of having a chosen family while also showing the different aspects of the friendship. Your chosen family are the people you reach out to when you want to have a good time, but they are also the people you may go to when you need support during difficult moments. Through the use of a variety of styles of photography such as studio portraiture and black-and-white photography, the images display a number of different elements within our friendship. Such elements include our regular carefree dynamic, as well as occasional moments of somberness. As a close friend group, we are able to improve each other’s moods simply by spending time together and being there for each other. Although this series is a representation of my relationship with my best friends, Chosen Family exhibits how surrounding yourself with the right people and developing a close bond with them can become a very important part of your life.