This series explores the theme of consumerism as it relates to the increase of consumer culture in modern society as well as how it is fueled by the fashion industry. I use myself as an example of an over-buyer due to my large clothing collection and love of shopping. I definitely buy things that I don’t need because I like having a lot of clothes, but it is very overwhelming at the same time. I feel that I am part of the problem, and this series exposes that while also commenting on consumerism in society as a whole. I shot this in my dorm room because I wanted a more personal environment to create a sense of atmosphere. I checked out the Alien Bee kit and used the strobes to make my photos look extremely bright and flashy to relate to the “Buy Now!” mentality and the in-your-face advertising techniques that are often used. This series represents the suffocation that I feel regarding my own issues with materialism and is a call to action for others as well as myself to re-examine our consumption habits. Photographing myself in this series was way out of my comfort zone, but I feel that the inclusion of a person elevated the meaning of the work beyond my original intentions.