human capital (noun) - the assigned economic value of a individual's own talent and ability
The music industry is a scandalous and scummy industrial complex. Streaming services pay next to nothing, record labels turn into predatory loan firms, and entertainment conglomerates get to monopolize local shows and venues. They take advantage of artists' physical, mental, and emotional well-being as well as promise paths to success that many never actually get. these businessmen never cared about the people who pour their lives out for music. They will never see how much artists put on the line to have even the slightest chance at “making it".
But as fans, we have the capacity to see what truly goes into making music. We read about their life stories, we talk to them at the merch table, and we send our appreciation by sharing our favorite music with our loved ones. With a near limitless amount of music at our fingertips, we can forget about the creatives behind the music that we so often find a real connection to.
“HUMAN CAPITAL” is a journalistic photo series with the intent to re-humanize our musician friends and family. My goal was to break the constant monetary valuation of artists and show the life and humanity that they share with the world. To do this, I decided to capture both the intimate and mundane moments of the artist on film in their safe and creative spaces. I not only set out to give these artists their flowers but also to give them a platform to show viewers the obstacles they have to go through. I asked everyone to share about the sacrifices they had made along the way in hopes that maybe someone could find comfort in these realities of life.
