Indelible Images by Rada ’04
Twins by Rada ’04
The image makes you stop and check twice. Are you looking in a mirror? Seeing double? What’s the story with these two impressively coiffed ladies? Photographer Rada ’04 explains the shot:
“Twins was taken during a cherry blossom festival in Macon, Georgia. I was hired to document the event, and these ladies caught my eye because they were looking fabulous in pink. They were invited as special guests, and I think they were close to 100 years old. I framed the shot in an unusual way so that the viewer would be left guessing whether the second face in the background is the same as the one in the front, but titled it Twins to help with the answer.”
Self-portrait
Rada says of herself, “I tried fitting in, and I discovered that I prefer standing out.” And her images do. She studied the fundamentals of photography with Peruvian photographer Fernando LaRosa, then developed her art solo. Rada’s photography is rarely exhibited in public, although she had a solo show at the Bulgarian consulate last year and was part of a group show at the AC Institute in Chelsea. Samples of her work are on her website.
Along with Twins, Disconnected (below) was selected for an annual Best of Photography collection. Rada explains, “Disconnected was taken on Houston Street in New York City. While I was on a walk with my camera, this mannequin immediately caught my eye. It was placed on top of the mailboxes as seen in the photograph. I took a picture of it without physically rearranging anything, focusing on the composition of the shot instead.”
Disconnected by Rada ’04
In addition to her photographic work, Rada is a singer-songwriter, who just celebrated “one year of serious music-making and fun.” She invites musicians to develop her lyrics and melodies into full-blown musical performances. The results of this musical experimentation—whose diverse influences include James Brown, “Madonna via Metallica,” and Danny Tenaglia—can be heard here.
—By Emily Harrison Weir
February 26, 2013
Karen, thanks. Would you mind if I use this quote on my website?
Beautiful photo. As a mother of identical twin girls, it was clear to me before even looking at the title of the photo that these gorgeous ladies are twins. Seeing two faces, simultaneously the same and yet distinctly different, is part of my daily life. Capturing their sameness and differences is an art.