Photographs provide awareness on illness: Exhibit takes viewers through life of breast cancer patient
John Dunphy
Issue date: 9/23/04 Section: Life!
Another image that stands out is an image taken during the chemo. She simply sits back, closes her eyes and lets the medicine sweep through her. Although one can only imagine what she is going through at the particular moment in time, she almost looks contented. The expression on her face gives the viewer a feeling that she has hope and that in the end; it will all be “OK.”
Between the pictures are pinned small peices of paper stating what was going on through that particualr segment of time when the photo was taken. These peices of paper tell poetry, quotes and sometimes just a narrative of what is going on. One caption towards the end of the exhibit stated that at some point her doctor wanted to do reconstructive surgery. She said that she didn’t understand why he would just assume she would want to have breasts again.
For Charlee Brodsky, proffessor of Photography at Carnegie Mellon University, this was his first experiance taking shots of a person over an extended period of time. In order to do this, he had to devote himself entirely to the cause and came to be close, personal friends with Stephanie. He was one of the people that was with her when she died on January 9, 2001. One would think that he would conclude his documentary with a final glimpse of Byram in the hospital, but he refused. While taking her photos, Brodsky had worked with Byram every step of the way. If they could not take the picture together, then it would not be worth the film.
The exhibit will be in the Martin Art Gallery from now until October 31. This breathtaking compilation of a woman struggling against all odds while remaining resolute and confident throughout it all is truly an aspiring sight and makes you question how you live your life.
Between the pictures are pinned small peices of paper stating what was going on through that particualr segment of time when the photo was taken. These peices of paper tell poetry, quotes and sometimes just a narrative of what is going on. One caption towards the end of the exhibit stated that at some point her doctor wanted to do reconstructive surgery. She said that she didn’t understand why he would just assume she would want to have breasts again.
For Charlee Brodsky, proffessor of Photography at Carnegie Mellon University, this was his first experiance taking shots of a person over an extended period of time. In order to do this, he had to devote himself entirely to the cause and came to be close, personal friends with Stephanie. He was one of the people that was with her when she died on January 9, 2001. One would think that he would conclude his documentary with a final glimpse of Byram in the hospital, but he refused. While taking her photos, Brodsky had worked with Byram every step of the way. If they could not take the picture together, then it would not be worth the film.
The exhibit will be in the Martin Art Gallery from now until October 31. This breathtaking compilation of a woman struggling against all odds while remaining resolute and confident throughout it all is truly an aspiring sight and makes you question how you live your life.