Hailey Deng ’25
From participating in outside of school contests at Drexel University, to inspiring others with her passion for photography within EA’s community, Riley Thibodeau ’23, motivates those around her to think in new ways.
Thibodeau’s interest in photography traces back to her childhood. She comments, “I’ve been taking pictures since I can remember… my grandma actually bought me my first camera in elementary school.” Thibodeau also credits EA for continuing her artistic journey, saying, “In high school, I took Foundations [of Art], and I really loved the photography portion. Since then, I’ve just been taking pictures non-stop.”
Taking pictures is more than just clicking a button on a camera, as seen through Thibodeau’s creative process, which varies depending on how easily inspiration comes and if there is a theme she wants to capture. Thibodeau explains, “[Sometimes] I’ll go out knowing that I want to take pictures. Other times, if it’s for a school project or class, I will sit in my room, think about it, sketch out an idea in my notebook, and then set up the scene and take the picture.”
Once the picture is taken, though, it is far from complete. Thibodeau states, “I definitely always edit my pictures… I normally start off with the idea. I take the picture; I bring it into [Adobe] Lightroom, a program we use; I do a ton of editing, playing with the light, exposure, different saturations, and things like that, and if I’m happy with it, that’s my final project. If I’m not happy even after editing, I’ll go and retake the photo with different lighting or fix whatever was bothering me, and then I’ll go through the process again.”
One of Thibodeau’s favorite works is a self-portrait picture. She details, “At the time, I was kind of against self-portraits. I didn’t like the idea of taking pictures of myself and showing them to people, but I ended up taking this one picture that I really liked. Over time, I’ve grown to really love that project.”
Photo courtesy of Riley Thibodeau ’23
In the classroom, Thibodeau is known for her dedication and passion for photography. Ellen Erikson, Upper School Photography teacher, notes, “[Riley] is intentional, she is thoughtful, and she is prolific in that she makes a lot of work, but instead of having an idea and just taking one photo and being done, she’ll take a hundred more photos to get the best one.”
Classmate Gracie O’Neill ’24 further comments on Thibodeau’s enthusiasm, saying, “There’s no doubt that Riley is super passionate about photography and arts in general. I always look forward to hearing her perspective on the art we look at because she has so much knowledge that enlightens the class.”
Beginning initially as a hobby, photography has grown to become a big part of Thibodeau’s life. She says, “I use it to document my friends and what’s going on in my life, like recording memories, but I also think it’s a way to express myself through art.” While photography is not something that Thibodeau plans on majoring in after she leaves EA, she expresses that it is something she will definitely continue to do.
PICTURE THIS: No matter the setting, Thibodeau’s dedication in her work shows in every photo she takes from the intentional timing to the editing.
Photo courtesy of Riley Thibodeau ’23
Thibodeau encourages others to try photography even if they are beginners. “You can start on your phone if you’re not sure if you want to take a class or not, and there are a ton of good YouTube videos out there. Just go for it! I take photos all the time that are blurry or not aesthetically pleasing. It’s normal.”