Greta Carroll is a photographer, activist and global vagabond and she's only just turned 21! Recently graduating from a degree in international relations and Middle Eastern politics, this talented young woman is a very interesting person to talk to.
Primarily a photographer, Greta delves into various genres of the medium; from fashion and portraiture, to travel and documentary. Personal style within photography is hard to find, but Greta hasn't only adapted her eye to one area of her photography - her style is apparent throughout her entire body of work.
I like the way that photos can change how people think about things and present a different side of them
Greta is a story teller, taking photos of everything around her, whether it's buildings, people, fashion, or even conflict if she's in the right place at the right time.
Greta's interest in fashion derives from street style, taking pictures of people who make her stop because of an outfit choice. Not too fussed with designer labels or what's on trend, she documents individuals that tell their own story.
Greta is also well travelled - she's spent a lot of time in the Middle East, South Asia and the Pacific working on personal projects, and most recently, Paris after a brief stint in Brooklyn, NYC.
I asked Greta what has been her favourite place to visit or experience since travelling.
"Lebanon is an incredibly beautiful country, I was 18 and didn't know what to expect, I just knew I wanted to be in the Middle East and learn about the people, the politics and the history. People driving past would shout 'welcome to Lebanon! Thank you for coming!’, the hospitality was amazing.... I would say though that my favourite moment was when my brother Jackson and I arrived in Palestine, (the West Bank). We arrived on Eid, a day celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Obviously everything was closed and we were really hungry. A car pulled up and this young guy asked were we where going. We told him that we were looking for food he said ‘get in my car I'll find you food'. His mother called and ended up inviting us around to eat, so we went into their home with all their family to have Eid with them. It was amazing.”
Greta's involvement with human rights, politics and photography started when she was just 13 years old, attending a World Press Photography exhibition. At such a young age, and having been so moved by the show, it changed her view on the world. She told me "I couldn't speak for a week after seeing the show, when you're 13 you're not completely aware of what's really going on". After experiencing this exhibition, her realisation of how photography can really get people to think was born and she knew that she wanted to be working in that field.
Finding the cross-section between human rights and photography, Greta recently raised over $1000 in a week, selling her photos in exchange for donations toward the Typhoon Haiyan Appeal in the Philippines. She’s currently working to expand this fundraising process on a larger scale, so stay tuned.
No one gets to choose the cards they are dealt, we do however, get to choose what we let define us
For the last few years Greta has been working on a project entitled I Am a Girl. A project close to Greta's heart, she’s very open about its origins and explains her mission to change views towards women with this series of empowering portraits.
I Am A Girl
I am a Girl is a project about starting the conversation about gender inequality and violence towards women from all over our sometimes cruel world. Women are the most widely spread cultural group that face discrimination, and it's something that is happening in every city, on every continent on Earth. Greta uses her experience with this issue as the fuel for her to bring these conversations to the surface with her photography. Greta tells me, “no one gets to choose the cards they are dealt, we do however, get to choose what we let define us”. The project took a few years for Greta to start because of her experience, but she’s definitely found the positive in a horrible situation by engaging with an issue that’s desperate for attention.
We need to stop thinking about gender inequality as ‘women’s issues’ and start thinking of it as a societal problem
By using her love for photography, Greta is breaking down the barriers that exist when it comes to speaking out about these kinds of topics. It’s a bad thing not to talk about it - abuse and discrimination is never asked for - and in remaining silent, not only does the issue become absent from public discourse, but also over time it can manifest itself into shame within those it affects most.
By speaking up about such problems, we not only put the issue back into people’s minds, but eventually we can break down stigmas and start to see change. Greta went on to say "This project is to be used as a stepping stone not only for me, but for anyone who has been through any kind of inequality. I view my experience as a milestone that I have overcome and I want to use 'I Am A Girl' to inspire and help other people to be able to reframe their experiences too".
With everything just mentioned in mind, Greta's photography really sets this project in stone. The portraits captured so far speak a million words and easily incite conflicting emotions. On the one hand, they are a part of a story that I wish didn't exist, but on the other they're such beautiful moments captured on 35mm film.
There was one photo that Greta described as her favourite from the series, from a busy bus journey to the West Bank, Palestine. Travelling with a couple of friends and her brother, Greta took a photo of two girls looking through the seats back at her. Greta doesn't speak Arabic, but her friends were talking to the girls' family during the ride. "It's hard to describe this photo as my favourite because of their story" explained Greta.
Taking someone's portrait can tell you more about what that person has gone through, even if the person really doesn’t mean to tell you. That’s the beauty of photography, someone might try and be happy in front of the camera but you can see in their eyes and face that they might not be. Greta went on to say "The person pictured might not necessarily be trying to communicate anything, but it’s there".
See more of I am a Girl here.
We're ecstatic to have Greta Carroll as a part of the Gather.ly family. As from now Greta will be submitting regular journal entries to keep you guys up-to-date on her travels.
Next stop for Greta is Spain and Paris, then back off through South Asia towards Australia, camera over her shoulder and bag of film in hand.
