I think the prom is very serious also. It's an American ritual, it's a rite of passage, and it's very much a part of this country.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I've always been interested in photographing traditions and customs - especially in America. The prom is an American tradition, a rite of passage that has always been one of the most important rituals of American youth. It is a day in our lives that we never forget - a day full of hopes and dreams for our future.
Prom has all the elements of a popular story. It reeks of all-Americanness, tension, drama. It has romance. Pretty dresses. Dancing. Limos. High school. Coming of age.
'Prom' is a movie that follows a bunch of high-schoolers' lives leading up to the prom, the climax of the movie. It focuses all their struggles and the social pressures that prom creates on their lives.
I didn't actually have a prom. In Australia, we call them 'socials,' which is hilarious. I did always find them pretty awkward, because I went to an all-girls school.
I'd never been to a prom, I had never had the whole high school experience. I think I was kind of an anomaly. I don't think they knew where to put me.
Prom was awesome. I had such a great time at prom.
I think the atmosphere of a Prom concert can change your life, in the best way. It's so deep, the feeling you have there. The audience is so close, and there are so many of them, that you feel they are almost embracing you.
I work with a charity called Donate My Dress. It's got chapters all over the country where you can donate special-occasion dresses. Prom is a big deal when you're 15 years old, and it enables girls who don't have the money to come in and choose something special.
I think prom is just about enjoying yourself.
The current concept of prom just seems so empty. Teenagers get dressed up to go to a dance at a fancy location. It encourages social inclusion or exclusion based on your ability or inability to snag a date.