Adventure’s with Patty is a series I worked on from May 2012 until mid November 2012. It began as many of my photo projects do. When I met Patty, I became floored by how interesting she was and I wanted to spend time getting to know her and photograph her. What I didn’t expect was that we would become close friends so quickly. We began spending all of our free time together. We went treasure hunting at thrift stores, out to lunch, we went on long drives, and scheduled play dates for our dogs to bond. We had coffee together every morning via SKYPE, and Patty started coming to Sunday dinners at my parent’s house. I took photographs over the course of our friendship because I felt that our relationship was something very special, even a bit unusual. I thought we were quite the pair and I felt it should be documented. Strangely, I had the feeling that it would not last. Aside from her therapist, Patty had no other friends and often divulged details of past people in her life that she had broken ties with abruptly. I too have ended many frustrating relationships in this manner, so Patty and I had a mutual understanding. I worked with a furor, photographing our every moment together, crossing my fingers that we would be each other’s exception. Eventually, Patty’s track record rang true. I received a one word text message from her on November 11, 2012: “FINISHED”. Patty left some of my things in a plastic bag, hanging on her door for me to pick up. We never spoke again.
<strong<Victoria S. Maidhof
Victoria S. Maidhof was born in San Diego, CA, in the year 1985. She moved to San Francisco, CA, two weeks before her 18th birthday to study photography at The San Francisco Art Institute. She currently resides in a small beach community in her home town.
The primary focus of her work is portraiture. The camera grants her permission to investigate stories. Her photographs are portraits of her interactions with extraordinary individuals who might otherwise go unnoticed. She is drawn to people who are non-conformists with large personalities. She sees a person or space that is vibrant to her and is tempted to investigate. She works to enter the places people live so she can see their possessions, hobbies, partners and pets. She builds trusting relationships with people and is welcomed into their private lives, allowing her to photograph their environments and actions without them feeling self-conscious of her flashing camera. As her work continues to evolve, she finds herself turning the camera around to include herself in photographs. She feels that this conveys their unique dynamic in a more conspicuous way
Victoria S. Maidhof
