What does it mean to remember?

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I’ve always considered myself a people person – I love the company of others, but what happens when you realize you no longer recognize people?

The official term for facial blindness is prosopagnosia and is defined as “a neurological disorder characterized by the inability to recognize faces.” I acquired this disorder at 16 as a result of a particularly damaging concussion. I can't remember people I've met, even if I have memories associated with them. Eventually if I know someone well enough it will stick, but if I see someone when I don't expect to or they change something about their physical appearance, like shaving or cutting their hair, it's a very strong possibility I won't remember them.

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It's a hard thing to accept, and an even harder thing to explain.

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Showing how the world appears to me is a daunting task to accomplish, especially in making photos universal enough that everyone can understand. I tried to achieve this by standing on busy sidewalks, capturing as people walk by. The frame is essentially the same each time, but there are different people in each photo, showing how quickly people come and go, and how easy it is to forget. Most of the photos contain the subject looking directly into the camera, creating portraits that are both intimate and distant, capturing the unique features and expressions of the individuals, which are emphasized by how they are different than other photographs at the same location. Not a single person photographed in this series is someone that I know.

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It’s strange having these intimate photos of strangers, but yet there is no recognition or attachment.