With portraits, my heart tends to lead with emphasizing the very distinct charm of a face that looks as though it has known suffering. I see beauty in these faces precisely because of their sadness. Most of our days are filled with longing for connection and the hope of being understood. Given how much of life is tragic at the core, I often explore the variations of a saddened gaze, because while being in the presence of a shared melancholy, it’s unnecessary to put up a façade of manufactured cheerfulness. To truly appreciate anything in life, I must understand that I will lose it one day, lest I take it for granted. The vulnerability of acknowledging this pain of existence awakens my spirit to make the most out of every single moment in life.