This project curated for the Copeland gallery looks at how much our shoes say about us as individuals and hints at who we are and where we've been. Emphasizing the details of every scuff and crease, every memory and decision. These shoes are more than just fashion, they are fragments of identity. This project is about self expression, connection, and rethinking the old saying of ‘Walk a mile in my shoes.’ They are fragments of our personal histories. The project invites viewers to consider the intimate relationship between ourselves and the things we wear and how objects can carry the weight of memory and meaning.

All images were shot on a 6x6 medium format film camera, a deliberate choice to slow down the process and engage more deeply with each subject. I wanted the viewer to feel a connection not just with the shoes, but with the method of making. To echo the rhythm of a film roll, I presented 12 hand-selected images each carefully hand printed in the darkroom. The raw borders were preserved as part of the final presentation, highlighting the tactile imperfect nature of analogue photography.

Through its visual language, Sole Identity becomes both personal and universal. It’s a study of how something as ordinary as a pair of shoes can reflect identity, vulnerability, and shared experience. It’s about paying attention to what’s often overlooked and recognizing the stories we carry, step by step..