Gallery • 3 Photos

photo courtesy of Emma Pion-Berlin

Aspiring photojournalist and CHS senior Emma Pion-Berlin earned the rare opportunity to showcase her passion for photography in her art show titled “Broken Souls” at Some Crust Bakery in the Claremont Village. Her work was centered around the idea of young women dealing with peer pressure and insecurities. Pion-Berlin’s work will be displayed at Some Crust for all to see until March 1.

“I know a lot of girls who struggle with insecurities and peer pressure, and I have seen some of my friends be extremely affected by those factors and it influenced me to make a statement through my photos and show people that teenagers do not always have it easy,” Pion-Berlin said.

Pion-Berlin was chosen by Melissa Wonnacott, her AP Photography teacher, to be featured in the annual photo exhibition at Some Crust Bakery. Wonnacott was impressed by all of her students’ work, but due to the fact that Pion-Berlin plans to study photojournalism and psychology in college, Wonnacott chose her work to be featured in the photo exhibition. The second and third place finishers were also allowed to display one photo each in the exhibition, but the rest of the exhibit focused on the work of Pion-Berlin.

Pion-Berlin was ecstatic to hear that she was going to host her first art show because photography has been her true passion since she was about ten years old. Her passion for art is deeply rooted, as her father, grandfather, and brother are all heavily involved in the arts, which sparked her interest and taught her much of what she knows about photography. Pion-Berlin’s love for photography bloomed into her true passion when she started taking classes on photography during her sophomore year.

“I was really excited because I got an experience of something that I want to do in the future,” Pion-Berlin said. “I am so glad to have the opportunity to bring people into my world and show people a side of me that makes me unique.”

This fall, Pion-Berlin will be attending the University of Colorado Boulder where she will pursue an education in photojournalism. After she graduates from college, she plans to get an internship at a newspaper or magazine. One day, she hopes to land her dream job working as a photojournalist for National Geographic.

“It has been such a privilege to watch Emma grow as an artist and individual over the last four years. She is passionate and kind; these qualities often find themselves expressed in her work,” Wonnacott said.
Through this experience, Pion-Berlin was able to get a taste of what it is like to have her own art show. She was able to show the community her artwork and expressed how important it is for people to be aware that teenagers do not have it easy when dealing with peer pressure.