Photographer Explores Loss Of Faith and Family in ‘Next of Kin’

Dad’s Authority

A complicated relationship with family, and an immersive experience with an evangelical Christian church resulted in my loss of spiritual and domestic faith. My work relates specifically to these personal struggles and explores the quiet suffering that occurs within the perimeter of a family unit living under the auspices of the American Dream. — Daniel W. Coburn

It’s difficult to pinpoint why Daniel W. Coburn’s Next of Kin feels so particularly powerful and honest. Shot in the heart of rural Kansas, the raw unbridled nature of one family’s relationship bleeds through what should be a series of mundane images. Titles for each photograph render simple yet telling hints of an internal dialogue that can only exist from years of things unsaid and every detail feels deeply personal. Coburn captures the silent drama of something so close to him it leaves the viewer unable to separate themselves from the emotion present in every frame. Perhaps it is this homely confrontation that leaves us so spellbound, a mixture of resentment, questions, and hurt always present in a ferocious love.

Mom Cooling Off in the Pool

Dad Preparing His Meat

Lila Breaks

Mom as Martyr

Somewhere Far Away

Jake’s Embrace

Dane On His Last Leg

Disposal

Essential Accessories

Mom Has the Final Say

via Aint-Bad Magazine

This post was contributed by photographer and Feature Shoot Editorial Assistant Jenna Garrett.

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