Photographer Melonie Bennett’s debut monograph ‘Holy Cow’ is a true, authentic and unfiltered account of her family life. Taken through 20 years from 1990-2011, the book takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions and laughter that may resonate and hit close to home with some.
Bennett grew up in Maine on a dairy farm in America alongside her brother and sister. She studied Photography at Maine College, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Bennett then worked as an assistant to photographer Judy Glickman Lauder in 1991.
Bennett is the eldest of her siblings which meant she had to be the responsible one. No misbehaving, partying or skipping school, unlike her siblings who did the exact opposite. During her time at high school, Bennett took a darkroom class which is where the inspiration for capturing her family life began. Because around the same time, she became the designated driver for family and friends to parties.
This presented the photographer with the perfect opportunity to take a step back and carefully curate the chaotic nature of her family life while being expertly nestled in the background.
Between Bennett’s astute timing, positioning and composition, she allows the reader to be a fly on the wall while flicking through the images in the book. As the reader you are able to see the and live through the photographer’s life image by image. Her images are a natural depiction of a families’ experiences which are cleverly captured by her ability to be at the right place at the right time.
Throughout the book there are many moments of humour, intimacy, joy and affection. The images are striking, thought-provoking, well-lit and most importantly, they are all contextually meaningful in one way or another. This is why the collection of images that Bennett has chosen to include in the book work so well together and represent such authenticity, a raw depiction of one’s family told through her lens.
From drunken escapades to college antics, to a giggling young girl spraying a hose pipe to a tender image of Bennett’s father receiving a birthday cake. This book reveals the true reality of family life, carefully capturing an array of emotions that the photographer wants to show the reader about her life and what kind of things she has witnessed regularly growing up.
Holy Cow is published by GOST books and is available to buy now. ISBN: 9781915423696
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