As a result of the shifts in photography and camera technology with the rise of social media, the ways in which we interact with our loved ones and maintain emotional connections has dramatically been altered. Seventy years ago long distance relationships were sustained through letter writing, sporadic phone calls, and the hope of one day seeing the other person. The letters became a highlight reel packed with emotion and phone calls often included long pauses. Today, relationships can be sustained through Facetime, Skype, and other social media applications. We can simply place a call and allow the person, hundreds to thousands of miles away, virtually (literally and figuratively virtually) live as if they were in the same space. The photographs in this exhibit demonstrate the change in a relationship and how a husband and wife communicate on a daily basis from a distance. Intimate connection no longer needs to be about being face to face, but simply being able to talk to the person on the other end of the line. To feel as if you are in the same space can make a big impact in the health of a relationship, no matter if you are looking at their face, the wallpaper, or the very specific hotel artwork. Ultimately, no matter the amount of time spent talking through Facetime, often times looking at various objects in the room rather than the actual person, long distance relationships leave each individual alone with only their screen to keep them company.
Social media has dictated a major change in the ways in which we create and interact with photography, and photography has evolved with that change. The world is full of potential images and everything from the most menial and banal moments of the day to impactful worldly events can be held in high regard. It is the act of creating and sharing photographs that has become more important than the subject matter itself. It is the act of creating a connection with someone hundreds of miles away that is more important than the how, when, or the “what in the world am I looking at” screen.
