This wasn’t meant to be more than a seasonal shoot—but something shifted.
Over the past four years, I’ve found myself returning to the pumpkin head concept that quietly resurfaces each October. What began as a playful, seasonal idea has slowly evolved into something more layered and personal. My friend Sarah has been at the center of these images each year—first alongside her boyfriend at the time, then with friends, and last year, with a vision of creating a solo pumpkin head shoot.
Going into this shoot, I intended to continue that tradition—but also to weave in elements of my fine art photography: soft, ethereal feminine expressions of the body existing within nature.
As I drove toward Hammonasset Beach, the sky felt expansive—liminal, glowing, almost endless. With every mile, the sunset deepened, setting the tone for what was to come. We began the session simply, with pumpkin heads and casual clothing, before transitioning into more of my fine art aesthetic. Sarah in a flowing garment against the roughness of the sea, the sky stretching on for miles behind her.
At one point, I asked her to place the pumpkin back on.
What followed was something I hadn’t anticipated—[you can view the full series here].
The images became emotional, raw, and quietly unsettling as the figure became unidentifiable. There was still a strength in the anonymity, paired with a sense of something slightly out of place, almost comical... a pumpkin at the beach! The work began to blur the line between self and symbol, presence and disguise.
These images exist in the in-between, a space I’m continually drawn to in my work—where identity softens, and transformation begins.
I never intended for this series to move beyond something playful for social media. But in the moment, and even more so in post-processing, I felt a shift. I had created something that carried more weight—something worth holding onto.
I’ve since submitted select images from this series into two juried exhibitions—one more traditional, the other more contemporary. While I’m still awaiting responses, I feel confident in the decision to share this work in those spaces. These are not just images—they are part of a deeper exploration.
At its core, this series holds joy, whimsy, and just a touch of magic.
UPDATE: The Pumpkin Head Series images did not get accepted in to the more traditional juried show I submitted to. However, they were accepted into EXODUS: A Cosmic Awakening, the opening night is Saturday May 16th, 6pm - 9pm at Hartford ArtSpace 555 Asylum Ave, Hartford CT