Andrew Miller
& William P. Nixon Elementary School

Andrew Miller & William P. Nixon Elementary School

My documentary project with the non-profit organization CPS Lives continues with an emphasis on the classroom setting and student portraiture. For the 2022-23 school year, I am paired up with William P. Nixon Elementary School, a K-6 grade school in Hermosa, a northwest side neighborhood in Chicago. 

Initially my focus began by documenting the after school programs covering classes in Spanish language skills, music and folk dance. The early pictures made during my first few weeks at Nixon made me realize I wanted to work within a more controlled environment when making individual portraits. Going forward, I can plan the backgrounds in advance while the students can engage with the camera. 

The series of photographs are two-fold, scenes from the classroom and individual student portraiture. I am interested in a creative take on the classic student school portrait. The hallways and auditorium replace the rolled studio paper in the hope that it can allow the student to relax more. Kids at the elementary school age have a tendency to love the camera and mostly enjoy being photographed. 

In the end, each student will go away with a 4×6 print. It is my hope that many of the kids can walk away with an understanding that there is still value and excitement in tangible objects like a photographic print in an era when digital is the default.