Road Trip Through Her Backside is an intimate set of photographs shot on 35mm that follows the organic shapes of a woman. I first shot this series back in 2019 when I was studying darkroom photography at the University of Minnesota. I fell deeply in love with the slowness and intentionality of film photography while working on Series I. A few years later I would learn that my Grandad was a film photographer and, although short-lived, opened one of the first Black-owned film labs in California during the 80s. This furthered my belief that I was always meant to be holding a film camera.

In 2025, I joined a cohort through Black Image Center and Burnt Sienna Research Society where I learned the art of bookmaking. With the support of my cohort and mentor Jason, I reshot this series (Series II) and turned it into a photo book as a sort of nostalgic treat to myself.

Enjoy.

-Dakotah