ARIELLE BOBB-WILLIS: IN FULL COLOR
Originally from Louisiana, Arielle Bobb-Willis is a 23-year-old photographer who currently lives in New Jersey. You will often come across her subjects portraying different movements as she explores the theme of existentialism through the human body. When asked about what got her into this style of photography, Willis recalled the biking incident that put her on bed rest for six weeks.
During this time, Willis got a chance to explore her thoughts and write and experiment with photography. What started out as a shoot while she had a sling turned out to be bigger and better than what she had ever expected. She projects the same energy into her work and wants people to take with the same vision as Willis, turning something destructive around them into something great.
Arielle Bobb-Willis also describes how photography has been a therapeutic experience for her. She believes that in the past, her depression and anxiety dissociated her from the present, but photography helped her stay focused. Having a connection with her subjects and making them comfortable during the challenging movements are as important to her as photography itself.
A rather interesting aspect of her work is that there are rarely any faces in the images she captures. It truly reflects what it was like to deal with depression and a strong sense of depersonalization. Willis often talks about how she felt disconnected from the world and her own body for a long time, which is why most of her photographs have no faces.
Arielle Bobb-Willis is involved in the entire process of her work, from styling and location to the poses and subjects. Her stream of ideas is largely influenced by a lot of stuff she comes across in thrift stores. Taking long walks also helps her decide the location for her next shoot. More often than not, the theme for her shoot comes as an inspiration from images she sees around her or the clothes and props.
Willis loves blending colors and putting strong contrasts in her work. However, what appears funny and playful on the outside has darker undertones, reflecting her own life experience of staying untrue to herself. When asked about her earliest color memory, Willis recalls how she always associated the color yellow with herself, red with her older brother, and blue with her middle brother because these were the colors of their backpacks.
Another interesting aspect noticed in most of her images is the use of bright-colored sneakers. Willis puts comfort before anything else, and this is what her style statement is all about. Therefore she makes her subjects wear sneakers.
Colors have always been the hallmark of her work. From darker shades that reflect her depression to brighter tones that show what it’s like to have a false outer appearance, her photography is all about her persona at different points in time. As of now, her favorite color is a muted blue that acts as a strong transition color and also reflects the personal transition in her life.
