Rachel Payne is a photographer located in Ocean View, Delaware.  She received a BFA in Photography with a minor in Art History from the Maryland Institute College of Art.  Utilizing various formats of photographic expression, including digital, film, and alternative processes, Rachel’s fine art focuses on themes of memory and expression of thought and emotion.

“I strive to create work that challenges the viewer by addressing memories, emotions, connections and fears.  Throughout my life, I have been paralyzed by fear, “what if’s”, and the judgement of others.  I feel I have missed out on irreplaceable opportunities and relationships and am left reveling in the mistakes of my past.  I also dwell on my past, how I may have done things differently and the mistakes I have made, as well as the uncontrollable aspects of life and how things have changed throughout my life.  To move forward, I create photographs which examine these aspects of my life.  Perhaps it is a means to control the uncontrollable.  I want others to see what I can never fully express in words, so they may have not only a better understanding of me, but of themselves, and through this self-discovery, make decisions which may leave them with less future guilt.  Through multiple exposures, overlaying images from different time periods, utilizing alternative photography processes, symbolism, and manipulated views, I hope to express complex emotions and the affects they have on the individual experience.  Showing how the individual is influenced by their own thoughts, and by examining how outside forces impose their opinions, actions, and judgments on the individual, bring a cycle of self-discovery, rediscovery, and questioning full circle.”