Photography · Completed · 2026
The Things We Trade
Five photographs about what we give up for a life with screens.
My role :
Concept, photography and editing
Context :
VISA 110, UBC Okanagan
Year :
2026
Status :
Completed series
Tags :
Conceptual photography, Visual storytelling, Composition
"The Things We Trade" explores the hidden costs of our increasingly digital lives. Through five photographs, the series examines what we sacrifice in exchange for the convenience, connection, and entertainment technology promises us. Each image presents a different trade-off, questioning whether the benefits of our digital world always outweigh what we give up.
1 — Trading Our Time and Attention
The first image highlights the intimate relationship we've developed with our devices. A phone tucked into bed takes the place of a romantic partner, reflecting how our screens have become the first and last things we engage with each day. It questions how much of our time, attention, and energy we surrender to technology, often before we've even gotten out of bed.
2 — Trading Human Connection
Two coffee mugs sit across from one another, separated by a glowing phone. The composition represents two people sharing a physical space but divided by a digital distraction. The phone becomes a barrier to meaningful conversation, suggesting that in our pursuit of constant digital connection, we may be sacrificing genuine connection with those directly in front of us.
3 — Trading Our Natural Resources
A wilting plant appears to be powering a phone, symbolizing technology's growing environmental impact. The charging cable creates the illusion that the device is drawing life directly from nature, reflecting the resources consumed to sustain our digital lifestyles. Particularly relevant in an era of rapid AI adoption, this image questions the environmental price we pay for technological convenience and advancement.
4 — Trading Our Peace of Mind
An overdue medication reminder sits alongside a social media notification, creating a paradox: the same device that helps us manage our well-being may also contribute to our stress and anxiety. The image explores the complicated relationship between technology and mental health, questioning whether our constant connectivity is helping us find balance or making it harder to achieve.
5 — Trading Our Authenticity
A broken monitor distorts a self-portrait, leaving only a fragment of the person visible. The damaged display becomes a metaphor for the fragmented identities we construct through technology and social media. Just as the screen presents an incomplete image, our digital identities often reveal only carefully selected pieces of who we really are. This final photograph questions whether, in creating our online selves, we've traded authenticity for a curated version of reality.
Together, these five photographs reveal a common theme: technology rarely comes without a cost. We trade our attention for entertainment, conversation for connectivity, natural resources for convenience, peace of mind for constant engagement, and authenticity for digital identity. The Things We Trade is not necessarily a rejection of technology, but an invitation to reconsider our relationship with it. In a world where everything is becoming more connected, what are we willing to lose?
More work
Photography · Completed · 2026
The Things We Trade
Five photographs about what we give up for a life with screens.
My role :
Concept, photography and editing
Context :
VISA 110, UBC Okanagan
Year :
2026
Status :
Completed series
Tags :
Conceptual photography, Visual storytelling, Composition
"The Things We Trade" explores the hidden costs of our increasingly digital lives. Through five photographs, the series examines what we sacrifice in exchange for the convenience, connection, and entertainment technology promises us. Each image presents a different trade-off, questioning whether the benefits of our digital world always outweigh what we give up.
1 — Trading Our Time and Attention
The first image highlights the intimate relationship we've developed with our devices. A phone tucked into bed takes the place of a romantic partner, reflecting how our screens have become the first and last things we engage with each day. It questions how much of our time, attention, and energy we surrender to technology, often before we've even gotten out of bed.
2 — Trading Human Connection
Two coffee mugs sit across from one another, separated by a glowing phone. The composition represents two people sharing a physical space but divided by a digital distraction. The phone becomes a barrier to meaningful conversation, suggesting that in our pursuit of constant digital connection, we may be sacrificing genuine connection with those directly in front of us.
3 — Trading Our Natural Resources
A wilting plant appears to be powering a phone, symbolizing technology's growing environmental impact. The charging cable creates the illusion that the device is drawing life directly from nature, reflecting the resources consumed to sustain our digital lifestyles. Particularly relevant in an era of rapid AI adoption, this image questions the environmental price we pay for technological convenience and advancement.
4 — Trading Our Peace of Mind
An overdue medication reminder sits alongside a social media notification, creating a paradox: the same device that helps us manage our well-being may also contribute to our stress and anxiety. The image explores the complicated relationship between technology and mental health, questioning whether our constant connectivity is helping us find balance or making it harder to achieve.
5 — Trading Our Authenticity
A broken monitor distorts a self-portrait, leaving only a fragment of the person visible. The damaged display becomes a metaphor for the fragmented identities we construct through technology and social media. Just as the screen presents an incomplete image, our digital identities often reveal only carefully selected pieces of who we really are. This final photograph questions whether, in creating our online selves, we've traded authenticity for a curated version of reality.
Together, these five photographs reveal a common theme: technology rarely comes without a cost. We trade our attention for entertainment, conversation for connectivity, natural resources for convenience, peace of mind for constant engagement, and authenticity for digital identity. The Things We Trade is not necessarily a rejection of technology, but an invitation to reconsider our relationship with it. In a world where everything is becoming more connected, what are we willing to lose?
More work
Photography · Completed · 2026
The Things We Trade
Five photographs about what we give up for a life with screens.
My role :
Concept, photography and editing
Context :
VISA 110, UBC Okanagan
Year :
2026
Status :
Completed series
Tags :
Conceptual photography, Visual storytelling, Composition
"The Things We Trade" explores the hidden costs of our increasingly digital lives. Through five photographs, the series examines what we sacrifice in exchange for the convenience, connection, and entertainment technology promises us. Each image presents a different trade-off, questioning whether the benefits of our digital world always outweigh what we give up.
1 — Trading Our Time and Attention
The first image highlights the intimate relationship we've developed with our devices. A phone tucked into bed takes the place of a romantic partner, reflecting how our screens have become the first and last things we engage with each day. It questions how much of our time, attention, and energy we surrender to technology, often before we've even gotten out of bed.
2 — Trading Human Connection
Two coffee mugs sit across from one another, separated by a glowing phone. The composition represents two people sharing a physical space but divided by a digital distraction. The phone becomes a barrier to meaningful conversation, suggesting that in our pursuit of constant digital connection, we may be sacrificing genuine connection with those directly in front of us.
3 — Trading Our Natural Resources
A wilting plant appears to be powering a phone, symbolizing technology's growing environmental impact. The charging cable creates the illusion that the device is drawing life directly from nature, reflecting the resources consumed to sustain our digital lifestyles. Particularly relevant in an era of rapid AI adoption, this image questions the environmental price we pay for technological convenience and advancement.
4 — Trading Our Peace of Mind
An overdue medication reminder sits alongside a social media notification, creating a paradox: the same device that helps us manage our well-being may also contribute to our stress and anxiety. The image explores the complicated relationship between technology and mental health, questioning whether our constant connectivity is helping us find balance or making it harder to achieve.
5 — Trading Our Authenticity
A broken monitor distorts a self-portrait, leaving only a fragment of the person visible. The damaged display becomes a metaphor for the fragmented identities we construct through technology and social media. Just as the screen presents an incomplete image, our digital identities often reveal only carefully selected pieces of who we really are. This final photograph questions whether, in creating our online selves, we've traded authenticity for a curated version of reality.
Together, these five photographs reveal a common theme: technology rarely comes without a cost. We trade our attention for entertainment, conversation for connectivity, natural resources for convenience, peace of mind for constant engagement, and authenticity for digital identity. The Things We Trade is not necessarily a rejection of technology, but an invitation to reconsider our relationship with it. In a world where everything is becoming more connected, what are we willing to lose?