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Amanda Rittenhouse
P h o t o g r a p h y
Self Portraits
This series started with the idea of exploring feelings. I call it moods. However, the first image captured a specific feeling for me. When I do self portraits, I often think of how older women are viewed. The first image makes me think of how I often felt as a younger women-powerful, free, and wild. The image reminds me how important it is not to forget who you were, and are, as you age. I call it "Remember who you are"
This self portrait series holds personal meaning for me. As an older women, and a professor specializing in women's health, I am acutely aware of the perceptions and feelings associated with aging women. I used both negative and positive words to explore both the empowering and liberating aspects of aging as well as the challenges that women face as they age.
This series was inspired by the my walks taken during the pandemic. Each day I would walk several miles and, during the fall, there were leaves all over the ground. I found inspiration from the leaves and their simple beauty.
I created this series in the middle of the pandemic, when there was political unrest in the US, as well as wild fires about 20 miles from my home. Although, my home was not in danger, the smoke and haze was in the air for several days, and there were a couple of days when the sky was orange the whole day. It was a time of uncertainty as well as sadness.
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