SIGMA 60th Anniversary

Shelby Brewer

• School:
  John Brown University
• Instagram:
  @belbystudios

In the Midst

"Often, the people we dislike the most are ourselves. We hide who we truly are, fearing that others will feel that same resentment we have towards ourselves if they ever knew who we really were on the inside.

This concept has proved to be true for me and this image mirrors my inner struggles as I discover who I truly am as a person. For as long as I can remember, the color red personified negativity in my life, and because of that, I never liked the color. In this image, red covers the model from head to toe, showing the things I despise about myself fully exposed. The model is entangled in red yarn, just as I am entangled in the weight of the burdens I put on myself. It appears inescapable and lonely, the red I feel inside portrayed on the outside and contrasted by a dark blue background.

By being authentic about my emotions, I have learned that I am not alone."

Juliette Poirier

• School:
  University of California, Los Angeles
• Instagram:
  @ jul_iette

Nathan’s Focus

"A luthier is a person who makes and/or repairs stringed musical instruments, such as guitars or violins. During restorations, the luthier mustn’t leave a trace of their hand, out of respect for the original maker of the instrument. A luthier must be organized, meticulous and patient. Luthiers are masters of both artistic and technical skills.

The art of photography is, without doubt, a craft that takes years to master, not unlike luthiering."

Audrey Biche-Cais

• School:
  American Film Institute Conservatory
• Instagram:
  @audrey_biche

The Rise of a Giraffe

"One of the most creatively challenging aspects of making a film is developing a visual language. Establishing a language takes long hours of conversations with the director and producers. We’re looking for inspiration together, watching films, throwing references at each other, and slowly carving out what the film’s vocabulary will be. It is one of the rare instances of complete freedom; an open space where anything goes, it’s collaborative, exciting, and always new. It is an ongoing journey, requiring persistence and dedication. We share experiences and memories, moments of uncontrollable laughter and heartbreak. Shooting a film is trusting, learning, failing, and making choices. It’s about staying open to new people and original ideas. I believe it’s about finding what’s important to you and bringing it to the table.

Maybe, inspiration leads you to dress as a giraffe at 4 am, drive in the dark for two hours, get out in the middle of the desert in the freezing cold, and wait for the sunrise. Just maybe."

Mallory Grossman

• School:
  American Film Institute
• Instagram:
  @_mal_pacino_

820

"‘820.’ It’s the address of where I’ve lived my whole life. And although I moved away for college and now film school, there’s still only one place in the world that I think of when I think of ‘home.’ I think about my home – my address – and it makes me think of family. There are so many things my parents have taught me that have taken place in that home – so many moments of joy and sadness, frustration and success. Someday, my parents will have to leave this house (its many stairs were a plight to my older relatives for years). But when they do, at the very least I’ll have this photograph to honor the only address I’ve ever considered ‘home.’"