Rhianna Romero

The concept of ghosts and spirits has always fascinated me. Growing up, my mother shared stories of family members experiencing the unexplainable. I never questioned their truth. Even now, I feel a strong connection to ghosts, spirits, and angels, often wondering where they might be accompanying me throughout my day, listening for unseen presences in the room. This feeling of being followed became the central inspiration for my Photo Roman. The stills depict a character unfamiliar with the idea of being watched. She begins to spiral, terrified of being alone as she senses a ghostly presence. She encounters things that can’t be explained—acts only a secondary force could cause. Though she tries to ignore it, the presence overwhelms her, driving her toward madness. The visual language of the piece was heavily inspired by Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills. I studied her use of cinematic framing and applied similar techniques in my own work. Each photograph centers on either the character’s expression, movement, or a meaningful object, which helped keep the visual storytelling dynamic. For the audio component, I recorded a reflective conversation with myself about one of my mother’s stories and my lifelong curiosity with the unseen. Rather than narrate the photo story directly, the voiceover adds a personal layer that complements the visual narrative. It gives the viewer insight into my relationship with the theme and invites interpretation, rather than offering a literal explanation of the events in the images.