Austin, Texas 2020-2021

Introvert Dates is a short street-photography series exploring Austin, Texas, between 2020 and 2021. My family and I returned home to America at the end of 2019 after living in China for seven years. We had no idea our welcome home would include masks and isolation. After our quarantine ended, I started wandering the streets of Austin looking for moments of connection and honesty. My husband and I referred to these outings alone as “introvert dates” because they were my sacred space to recharge and be inspired creatively. My stress levels were at an all-time high (whose weren’t?). Not only did the world feel uncertain and unfamiliar, but my transition back to the States triggered a sort of identity crisis—who am I as an artist and what exactly do I like to photograph? If I can’t photograph the streets of China, what will I photograph? I purchased a new compact camera in hopes I could be more discreet and pursue this new creative journey unseen. Most of the images I shot on my introvert dates were from the hip and ultimately highly frustrating to create. If the image wasn’t out of focus, then the composition was poor. Over time I had to push myself out the door, reminding myself I needed this space to figure out what I wanted creatively and how I wanted to photograph America. The voice of my new 28mm focal-length lens/camera felt unbalanced and lacked the harmony of my usual 35mm work. Longing for intimacy and close-up portraits, I finally summoned the courage to ask; though only a few people agreed, the memory of that first woman stays with me. She was wearing a shirt that said “Timmy has a visitor,” with the Grim Reaper standing at a door. My heart raced as I quickly tried to create the shot I desired. She blinked and looked away after a while, because I know there must have been some awkward tension—are strangers allowed to be within seven feet of each other? Taking this portrait required me to step inside that seven-foot distance and shrink it down to four feet. Over time, I’ve grown braver and braver in asking for portraits, in stepping closer. As the memory of this strange and otherworldly time fades in my memory, I will always thank my past for creating this space to grow.