Inspired by both the highly reflective surfaces of freshly painted dumpsters combined with unusual textures and markings created by both natural and unnatural elements, I started seeing a collection of jewelry emerging from these otherwise unsightly rectangular beasts. Each freshly painted dumpster presented me with a challenge, how can I make this smelly, ugly container into something soft and beautiful?

In City Jewels, I targeted freshly painted dumpsters in order to attain the best reflections. Once dumpsters were identified, I focused on areas where there was slight weathering on the containers to create depth and texture in my photographs. For months I carried around various props including a water bottle to create shine and depth; purses, sequin pillows, scarves, a lampshade, and more to create colorful reflections and shapes. Using photo editing software I manipulated colors and saturation to produce a collection of bold jewel-tones rich in texture.