Off of Snyder Ave in South Philadelphia, where Jesus figurines ornament the windows and American flags flutter over the doors, there is a mish-mosh of cultures that co-exist and greet each other with friendly smiles. This is where photographer Zoe Strauss finds her muse. Her studio, among the other row homes, is clearly that of an artist. The room overflows with photographs, some in boxes that line the floors, the rest like wall paper, covering the walls.

Never have I seen a display of such impulsiveness and unpredictability. Photos of abandoned hoagies, graffiti by the side of the road, and Eagles paraphernalia survive along-side intimate portraits of cross-dressers, abused women and drug addicts. On a rollercoaster of emotions, I am either enlightened by the hidden qualities of this city, or saddened by the tragic things I choose not to see. Her pictures go beyond random into a place where the only logical question is, “what the hell is that?” Yet, it’s worth the smile when you can’t make any sense out of it, and must accept each picture for what it is; innocent and honest, horrifying, yet exceptionally beautiful.

We sat down to talk, and through her casual nature, I immediately felt connected to Strauss’s world. She told me of her epiphany that led her on this road to photography, and more specifically under the highway at Front and Milton Street, where her yearly instillation is displayed. She explained how she first wanted to do an exhibit like this one, and then realized her knack for capturing life through a lens. Strauss is now a woman on a ten year mission, where she spends a year gathering photos and preparing for her public display. Having already completed 6 years, she is very comfortable with her work, which seems to be the key in obtaining such a difficult and un-captured scenes. Having talked to Strauss for less than 20 min, I could have told her my life’s story without a second thought, and I realized that her genuine personality and contentment of life is what allows her to expose such a candid reality.

As she describes the photographing process, it sounds so simple, yet completely awkward. “I just walk up to a complete stranger and ask if I can photograph them, and they can pose however they want,” she explains. They are quick and often inconsequential interactions, but for Strauss, they hold great meaning. “All interactions, even the difficult ones hold significance to me and I kinda love them,” she says and I can feel her passion for these strangers and their lives, unconnected to hers but through a single photograph. She refers to it as this another world that she gets let in on, and is surprised by how many people are willing to share their intimate stories with a total stranger. She laughs in remembrance of the insane stories she’s heard, and it appears that although photography is her craft, the interactions with her subjects are her reward. Like a schoolgirl, privileged to hear the latest gossip, Strauss relishes in the random, unrelated facts and tales that make up such incredible moments. And in these moments that come alive through a story that’s desired to be told, there is little time to reflect before the moment passes. “Sometimes I have to step back and ask myself if that really just happened? And then they’re gone, and life goes on,” Strauss says.

Still, there is great importance in depicting each reality as she found it. As an artist, she focuses on the variables of light and the realistic ability of time, but finds it harder to achieve degree of unconsciousness when shooting. “It’s somewhat of an organic process,” she says, “If the pictures are too focused, it doesn’t allow for multiple interpretations.” Although she wants people to wrestle with personal reflection when looking at her finished piece, there is an overall theme of beauty and the struggle of everyday life that resonates from one picture to the next. When shooting, she looks for aesthetically pleasing shots that will fit into the larger body, but also must be able to stand alone as an autonomous story. Looking back at her walls, she has yet to photograph something that didn’t challenge the mind in some way. Her goal is to display an epic telling of themes; a rant of personal identity, American identity, gender and race. “I’m kind of obsessive compulsive, and I could drive myself crazy with the constant running narrative of sub themes,” she admits.

I find her openness about her work and her self, inspiring. “It’s embarrassing to be so passionate about something that’s not a typical passion. But I’m not playing into it,” she says; this is what she was made to do and it doesn’t matter what strangers may think. In a random moment, the interview moved off of art and onto music, and she shared with me one of her greatest experiences. Excited isn’t the word to describe Strauss as she talked about recently meeting Run DMC, and for a moment I was let into her world to experience the thrill of something random. Then the moment passed and we moved on.

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