Breanna Gunderson

Photographer

Administration Building at the Redlands campus

BIO

Hi there! My name is Breanna Gunderson and I am a black-and-white digital photographer currently based in Redlands, California. I was born into an all-girl household in San Diego, with my mom, identical twin, and older sister. Some of my hobbies include playing women's lacrosse and coaching. I have been a competitive athlete throughout my life, and participated on the University of Redlands collegiate women's lacrosse team for four years.

For the last four years, I have slowly fallen in love with black and white photography. A huge contributor to this meticulous obsession of tonal ranges, contrast, and lighting largely stems from my background in studio-portrait photography and psychology at the University of Redlands. Studying psychology, I have found a peculiar attraction and beauty in human suffering. To this day, my work is used to combat the commonality of how mental illness is hidden below one's surface. Suffering from my own ailments, including anorexia nervosa, I use photography as a tool to place my own afflictions on a pedestal, and give some care and love back to myself.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Redlands-based student photographer, Breanna Gunderson, has been honing her black and white work for several years. Originally a studio portrait photographer, Gunderson integrated her photography skills with her four years of coincident psychology studies, bringing about a perfect union of her two passions.

Gunderson's evolution from portraiture to still-life work has enabled her to add another element to this marriage of passion, and broaden the range of her work to new lengths. Her use of tonal range and contrast allows Gunderson to challenge the dividing line of people photography and inanimate object photography - utilizing subject control to explore empathy and introspection.