Photography: HANNAH PRICE

Writing: CONNOR BRIAN

Moving from the white picket fences of suburban Colorado to the constant flow of verbal harassment on the streets of Philadelphia was no easy transition, but instead of keeping her head down and briskly crossing the street, African-Mexican-American photographer Hannah Price decided to turn her lens on the men who catcall her.

The bold series of photos does not attempt to pass judgment on men or comment on race, but instead is an exercise in female empowerment. The camera allows her to take control of a situation that usually attempts to exert control over her. Price was tired of being caught off guard, and the expectation of timidly ignoring the catcalls. Instead she found that sometimes it is best to confront, respond, and craft a relationship with people.

“I’m in the photograph, but I’m not. Just turning the photograph on them kind of gives them a feel of what it’s like to be in a vulnerable position — it’s just a different dynamic,” Price says to NPR.

Price understands that we are all human. Women are beautiful, and magnetic attraction is often unavoidable. She uses a camera to understand the effects of public expression. With a single snap she reverses the diminishing power of the male gaze. Through these images she transforms a patriarchal taunt into a moment of reflection, amplifying her sense of self-respect – while at the same time unmasking a deep sense of common humanity with each male who approaches her.

Sources: npr.org