I introduce Aimee Guymon
What have you been working on this past year?
This last year has been amazingly hectic, but there are two things that stand out the most. One was teaching photography to a class of incredibly rambunctious kids that live on the Native American reservation I was doing a photo essay on. Getting to see a group of humans fall in love with photography was so cool. I swear they taught me more then I taught them. Second was being invited to the Missouri Photo Workshop. The most intense, sleep deprived, food deprived, fantastic week. It doesn’t get better then being grilled and hounded about your photos by your idols. Of course the story I did there was about a young dairy farmer. I stepped in cow s*** the very first day and literally was so busy, I couldn’t find 15 minutes the whole week to take a shower. So yeah, smelling like cow manure for days was the highlight of my year.
What subject matter are you most drawn to and why?
I’m really attracted to social justice issues. Specifically what is happening in my own backyard of the U.S. Yes, horrific things are happening in underdeveloped countries but there are so many appalling issues here as well that are overlooked and need to be brought to awareness. I do it because it needs to be done, these stories need to be told. And I love being a visual storyteller! 
What did you learn from working with photographers in Guadalajara, Mexico?
The experience of Guadalajara was beautiful and getting to see the different approaches other photographers had, was really beneficial to my own process. For me the best thing about Guadalajara was the people that lived there. They were so friendly and easy to connect with. People just kept inviting me into their homes. One of the best meals I’ve had my whole life was a bowl of lentils, in this woman’s house I met 10 minutes prior to that and sitting mostly in silence with her because of our language barrier.
What happens next?
I’ve been moving more and more into multimedia within the past six months. I’m beginning to work with not for profit agencies and building PSA’s for their websites to highlight the work they are doing.
I graduate this fall. Graduation! Finally. Then I’m packing up the truck with CF cards and an air mattress and letting my little heart take me where ever it wants to go for however long it wants to go. New towns to discover and lots of strangers to meet!
