Sadaf Alidadi is sitting in a room that is completely red to make the scene feel intense and urgent. On the floor around her are scattered photos and slips of paper with words like "REJECTION" printed on them. She is holding a sign that says "UNIQUE" directly over her eyes. The story is that we often let labels, even the ones meant to be compliments, blind us from seeing our true selves. I used a bright, flat light to make sure every piece of "trash" on the floor was visible, showing how much clutter we carry from other people's opinions. Even though she is surrounded by these negative words, her pose is solid, showing she is finding her own value in the middle of the mess.

