Sally Allen

Artist Statement

I am fascinated by people and other cultures and as such seek to create photos of the people. This portfolio of men, women and children of the former Indochina provides a colorful glimpse into the culture of today’s Cambodia and Vietnam. Although none of the sitters appeared to be prosperous, they appeared to be content with their lives and were open and often eager to be photographed.

I've had a lifelong passion for photography, which was ignited by my first job as a reporter and photographer. I am largely self-taught, but I have taken numerous college classes and workshops to improve my skills. Among my most memorable workshops have been Photo Alliance’s on Alcatraz and at Mono Lake.

My photos have been published in Hidden Alcatraz, Steve Fritz & Deborah Roundtree, University of California Press, 2011; Mono Lake, Photography and the Environment Workshop, Photo Alliance, 2009; Connecting Cultures through Art: India, Lisa Filpi & Sally Allen, 2008.

I created the project, Through My Eyes, to introduce photography to underserved elementary school children. It's goal is to provide these children with a sense of positive self-image and community.

I also participated in Connecting Cultures through Art, a collaborative digital photography project with students in Vidhya Peetam, a rural industrial community in southern India, and at a San Francisco high school. The goal was to foster understanding through photographic images showing similarities between the cultures.