This Photographer Captures the Real, Difficult Teen Experience

Joanna Piotrowska does black and white photographs of the teen experience—and they’re nothing like their hipster-flower power counterparts. Through her work, she plays with the uncomfortable aspects of family, being human, and the fine lines between intimacies. In FROWST, Piotrowska explores these ideals.

In her teen diary-esque part of the series, she positions the models in defensive positions to show the more awkward, violent aspects of the teen years. There’s something about her work that’s uncomfortable to look at, but that’s part of what makes this series so relatable.

It reminds me of myself—growing faster than I can buy new pants. Hair incredibly frizzy, hormone changes, shielding myself. However, as strange and important as those years are, there seems to be a sever lack of portrayal of the teen years as is. I think that’s why I like these photos so much: they’re relatable and they’re uncomfortable.

Cover image courtesy of Joanna Piotrowska.

By Jacqueline Wostrel on February 1, 2016
Jacqueline (Jackie) Wostrel is an editorial intern at HelloFlo, founder of the book blog No Bent Spines, and illustrator of the children’s book Hearts and Butterflies. She enjoys long walks to the book store, political debates, cheese plates, and dreaming of all the countries she has yet to explore. In the fall she’ll go to the University of Houston for Journalism and Hotel Restaurant Management.