Youth in Focus

By Richard A. Ross

Street visions

“If there is anything that I’ll be eating, breathing and thinking for the rest of my life, it is photography”, says Liberty senior Jeremy Brinn. One look at his poignant street portraits confirms his passionate exuberance and talent.

	TRR photo by Richard A. Ross Jeremy Brinn, Liberty High School senior. (Click for larger image)

Finding a gateway to self-expression may be a challenge for some teens but not so for Jeremy Brinn. At various points in his life, he used writing and painting to externalize what he saw and felt. Jeremy is still passionate about writing but three years ago he discovered photography and from that point on his world has never been the same.

It all started with a trip to Paris, prior to his sophomore year. He was studying conversational French and creative writing at the American University, but was more impressed with the photography that his friends were pursuing. Their moving and poignant pictures awakened the desire to learn about photography. Upon his return, he embarked on a three-year course of study with teacher extraordinaire, Linda Berkowicz.

The first year was all about the basics: lighting, the chemistry of the darkroom, aperture and basic composition. The second year manifested itself in independent study and Berkowicz taught elements of sophisticated composition, including effective use of lines and angles.

“I began to find my groove. It was just after September 11 and I went to the city to try and capture the experience.”

Jeremy learned that it was people, not buildings, which evoked new and rare emotions in him. It was also the beginning of a love of street photography that will be nurtured and refined at the Tisch School at New York University (NYU) this fall.

While some kids might shy away from the magnitude of New York City, Jeremy is drawn there.

“What I love about the city is that you can stand out whenever you want or simply fade into the background.”

	Photo by Jeremy Brinn Street portraits like the one above have gotten Jeremy Brinn noticed locally. (Click for larger image)

Jeremy has amassed an impressive body of street scenes that exude powerful statements about life’s stark realities of economics, race, and age while reflecting emotions that are stirring and universal.

“If you see something and look at it twice, that’s when you ask yourself the question: How can I make this a great picture?”

It is a question that Jeremy is compelled to learn more about. A number of his photographs have been on display at the Liberty Café and in Teen Amphibian. Currently, he and other Liberty photography students are fundraising to produce a book of monographs. This past weekend they did portraits to help pay for the binding and printing.

“There’s something about permanence. It’s a great way to complete my high school photography career.”

Jeremy credits his parents Mark and Ilyce with the opportunities that have led him to this point. Those included three years at the Homestead School, trips to France and Spain and, of course, the help to attend NYU.

“I’m ready to move on,” he said.

Given his immense passion and talent, his journey is bound to be documented in images that will resound for generations to come.

This week’s youth keeps his life and his vision in focus.