I've wanted to start a documentary project on suicide prevention in honor of my late brother for a long time. My first idea had involved me asking people how they overcame a suicidal moment. I ended up scrapping it because I did not want people reliving the memories that almost killed them. I knew that if I really wanted to help, I would have to tell my own story. And would hope that maybe one day people would have the courage to do the same. If you want to help others, you have to help yourself.
In the first Image called, “The View From Halfway Down." I was inspired by a poem that is read on a show called “Bojack Horseman.” The poem is about how the character who jumps off a bridge wishes he could have seen the view from halfway before he jumped. The image is composed of a high view I took off of a building and added layers of images and a radial blur. To me, this picture is very cathartic because it's as if I'm looking at death in the face. To me, it's a reflection of how many times I was faced with this choice but backed off the ledge.
To take away from this image, I want the viewer who may view this image to understand that sure, your problems, your fears, your mistakes and painful memories go away. But so do your dreams, aspirations, the people you've met and all the good memories too. The ‘View from Halfway Down’ is supposed to represent regret, which is the worst part. Making a choice you cannot reverse and only feeling regret on the way down. So the idea is to give people a chance to see the ‘View from Halfway Down’ from the safety at the top.
The View
