Artist insight: Inside photographer Marley Mills’ process

Senior Marley Mills has loved the creative outlet of photography since eighth grade. From taking structured classes with arts teacher Marya Alford, to having the ability to explore her own projects, Mills has produced a variety of photographs.

Mills began taking photographs out of an interest to engage in the arts; she couldn’t draw nor sing, and felt that she did not have any artistic talents until she discovered photography. Mills said photography gives her the ability to share specific moments and raw emotions with the audience.

“I have learned to love photography — the storytelling, the eyes. I love the way eyes look throughout photographs, and I think they tell such an amazing story,” Mills said. “I think the use of black and white for me allows for the story to progress, and I love that feeling.”

This photo essay provides insight into her photographic thoughts and ideas, how she captures moments in her work and an explanation of the format of her photographs.

 

Senior Marley Mills wanted the immense feeling and emotion of pride and care that a mother feels towards their daughter. In this picture, Mills demonstrates how the viewer can see the expression of her face very full of emotion. Then the viewer sees the daughter in the background, kind of blurred out in the background. “We kind of get this feeling of emotion and the feeling of connectivity together during such an intimate moment,” Mills said.
In this picture, Mills said she wanted to immerse the viewer in the mother’s feelings and pride that come with the role of having a child. The viewer is able to clearly observe the mother’s emotions through her facial expressions, highlighting a sense of connection that Mills created. As the viewer looks closer at the image, they can consider the purpose of illustrating the daughter blurred out in the background. The mother and the daughter in this picture are Mills’ cousins. “We get this feeling of emotion and the feeling of connectivity together during such an intimate moment,” Mills said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The subject of this picture is of Mill’s sister Sienna Mills, an Archer alumni; Mills is sitting on a rock on this lookout point near her house. She wanted to show the motion of how her face is in distress and lost.
The subject of this picture is Mills’ sister and Archer alumni Sienna Mills. Sienna Mills is emphasized in this portrait as she sits on a solo rock at a lookout point near her house. Marley Mills said she wanted to illustrate her sister’s facial expressions of loss and distress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"This piece is called heavy-hearted, and it's because she is sitting on this very strong feeling of grief within her heart," Mills said. "This is a piece I enjoyed doing, and I wanted that picture I took to display grief."
“This piece is called Heavy-hearted, and it’s because she is sitting on this very strong feeling of grief within her heart,” Mills said. “This is a piece I enjoyed doing, and I wanted that picture I took to display grief.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mill's project is called "Sincerely Love Project" and includes this image. Mill's mother, Lisa Mills, is on the phone with her father in principal. She was motivated to write this piece after seeing the movie Malcolm and Marie
Mills’ project is titled “Sincerely Love Project.” This project was designed to create a “movie” of the photographer’s vision with as many images she could take. Most of Mills’ photos are in black and white because it allows her to focus primarily on the subject and their emotions.  Mills’ mother Lisa Mills is pictured on the phone with her father pretending to have a conversation with him on the phone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​​“This is my dad, Mark Mills, and he is sitting at our dining room table expressing his frustration while also contemplating something within his emotion,” Mills said.
​​“This is my dad, Marc Mills, and he is sitting at our dining room table expressing his frustration while also contemplating something within his emotion,” Mills said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This piece is called dinner nights. Mills shot her friends Senior Chloe Fidler and Chidimma Nwafor at a dinner. In this image, Nwafor is in the background, talking, engaging in conversation, and Fidler is within the profile and the picture format, taking off her mask.
This photo is titled “Dinner Nights,” illustrating Mills’ experience with shooting street photography. Mills photographed her friends and seniors Chloe Fidler and Chidimma Nwafor at a diner. In this image, Nwafor is in the background talking and engaging in conversation, while Fidler is the main subject pictured taking off her mask.