Aph Ponce Hardy (she/they), a Scottish-Mexican, queer photographer based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Taking photos is more than capturing a person’s face, body, or place. To her photography is capturing an essence, be that someone’s emotion, a feeling, who someone is. Aph has been taking photos for over 10 years, and professionally for 4 years. Her photography is always changing and molding with her and ideals, however, Aph’s main focus and passion are representing the underrepresented. She wants to be a platform where people can see all the different types of people and beauty that there is in this world. Aph wants people to feel seen in her photographs, to be able to find themselves in them.
That Feeling
‘Feeling’ is a project that came out of the lack of touch that I experienced throughout lockdown. To attempt to recreate touch from another human, I would wake up giving myself little hugs, holding my body, or lightly touching my face, arms, and belly.
The second part of the project is highlighting the almost touching of loved ones. That yearning for cuddles, intimacy, and love, but being alone. Being with a lover, but 2m apart. Being with your sister, your brother, your mother, but 2m apart. Being with your best friend, but 2m apart. That feeling of almost but not quite. Like seeing a cold body of water on a hot day but not being able to jump in, to envelop yourself in that sweet release of coolness all over your body. That feeling, but with touch.
The bed in the photos is to represent ‘staying home’, and the outdoor is representing only being able to see people outside of the home.
Photos were taken 15th July 2020
To view more of Aph Ponce Hardy’s work please visit their website.