I've been shooting Transformational Project for over 10 years. It started because of curiosity.
In 2007, while I was a student at Art Center College of Design, I met Mir, who identified as transgender. I said everything wrong. I asked all the wrong questions. Used all the wrong pronouns. I didn't know.
Mir agreed to let me photograph him as part of my own journey through understanding. We spent a lot of time together, me shadowing him at home, capturing him doing his monthly injections, discussing what's appropriate and inappropriate to ask a trans person.
Soon Mir and his roommate and friend Jake started to invite people over and have me photograph them too. Week after week we would do this. Every Saturday we would set up my studio in their living room and people from the community would show up and have me take a portrait of them. I listened to hundreds of stories. Tears were shed.
Today I've photographed over 300 individuals from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City.
I've recently begun preproduction for a Transformational Project documentary. It's no longer about curiosity. It's about creating a safe platform for this beautiful community.
I'm forever grateful for the wonderful humans I've met who have shared their spaces and their stories. I've been asked when the project will be finished: I don't think it will ever be.
"Creativity is our gift to heal, help, and uplift. Jen Rosenstein's Transformational Project is all three; helping to start important conversations; heal old wounds and prevent new wounds from occurring; and shine a light on persons that may otherwise feel ignored, underserved or left in the dark." -- Jason Mraz, musician, friend.
Jen Rosenstein is in pre-production on a documentary on the subjects of her photo series. See more of her work on her website.
