American artist and photographer Brooke Shaden spent years delving into the duality of human nature in her work. Born in 1987, Shaden has become one of the most well-known photographers in modern art. She’s recognized by her conceptual images where she puts herself in settings that feel like an imaginary world. After finishing college in 2008, and deciding to explore her passion of storytelling, she began to probe her inner darkness and confront the fears of her intense childhood imagination.

Mainly a self-portrait artist, Brooke doesn’t shy away from photographing others as well. Many of her photographs evoke a sense of epiphany in an unfamiliar place. It’s easy to feel connected to her images as they embody personal exploration and encapsulate themes of darkness and light. She aims to show others a quintessential part of themselves that might’ve been lurking in the shadows prior. With this, she considers herself leaning more toward discovery than creation.

Shaden studied film all throughout college in Pennsylvania near to where she grew up. She was merely 25 years old when she became a part of PhotoVogue Italia’s group exhibition “101 Best Photos” in 2012. Over the years, she has amassed 18 conceptual awards for her work and has been a part of 80+ group and solo exhibitions all over America and Europe, with her very first exhibition in 2009.

As previously noted, Brooke’s unyielding passion is storytelling, and she continues to produce portraits in addition to writing and giving motivational speeches. She also allows us to look deeper into her process both mentally and physically, in her blog named “Promoting Passion”. She seeks to lead a multitude of lives with her curiosity serving as a perpetual fire of inspiration.