Portraits of IU began as a Facebook search.
Senior and page creator Mai Ngô said a love for the popular Humans of New York page led her to search for the IU equivalent in 2014. When she realized the page did not yet exist, Ngô had a decision to make.
“I was like, ‘You know, I like photography and I love this page,’” Ngô said. “I was trying to find a good way to spend my time. I wanted to find that thing that was something valuable, so I decided to go for it.”
Two years after starting the Portraits of IU Facebook page, Ngô will graduate with a degree in marketing and sustainable business and leave the page under the care of sophomore Tracy Luther.
“I was really excited, because I’d heard of the page before and I knew that she did it,” Luther said. “I’d never really thought about being a part of it before. She approached me, and I think I immediately responded, ‘Oh wow, thank you so much. This is really exciting.’”
Ngô said her decision to start the page was not nearly that quick. She said she had to traverse some personal barriers before she could take on such a large project.
“Despite my career choice and Portraits of IU, I’m actually not that much of an extrovert,” Ngô said. “Talking to people and stuff like that actually takes a lot of energy for me. It’s been fascinating and I really enjoy it, even though it’s a lot of effort.”
Ngô said HONY’s concept always interested her because of how it showcases the people as reflections of a city and on the individual level.
By starting such a page for IU’s campus, Ngô said she hoped to make the large campus community feel more familiar.
“College campuses, a lot of the time, are very interesting centers that draw in a lot of different people,” Ngô said. “Especially on a big campus like IU, there are a lot of things going on.”
There is not much strategy involved in choosing people to feature on the page, and Ngô said she reserves judgment when she approaches people for Portraits.
“If I’ve learned one thing from this, it’s that you can’t expect anything from people’s appearance or what they’re doing, because everyone has a story and it’s better to go into it with no expectation and keep an open mind,” Ngô said.
Luther said his first few stories for Portraits of IU have taught him a similar lesson.
“It’s been interesting getting to know the diverse groups of people we have on campus and what matters to people in different ways, and getting to know there’s more than you see in people,” Luther said.
Ngô said the popularity of pages like HONY means people are less hesitant when she approaches with a camera and questions.
Some people are able to open up after just a brief interview, while others require a little more effort to tell their stories, Ngô said. Luther added that, before he started photographing, he and Ngô met to discuss strategies for making people comfortable and which questions to ask, as well as general aesthetic for the page.
Ngô said one of her New Year’s resolutions was to increase her practice in conceptual photography, which differs from traditional portrait photography in terms of artistry and creative freedom. She has already done several shoots this year, some of which Luther was involved in.
“She’s really creative,” Luther said. “I’d just help her set up some things or participate as a stand-in for some things. She’s very patient, but also direct and is really good at setting up photos, making sure everything is done exactly the way it needs to be done.”
One memorable conceptual photography experience involved snow and smoke pellets. Luther said Ngô directed him and had him light and control the smoke for the photographs, which produced a distinctive series of images.
In terms of standout stories from her time with Portraits, Ngô said there were many, though one in particular always jumps to the forefront. She said she once asked student who in his life had the most impact on him.
“He told me about this best friend who he met at a gym here in Bloomington when he transferred down, about how this best friend really helped him,” Ngô said. “Then, he told me about how this best friend recently passed away and how that also impacted him significantly as a person — that friendship and that loss.”
Ngô said pages like HONY and Portraits are important because in a time where superficial identity markers such as race and gender can be the cause of conflict, taking the time to learn about individuals is an important step.
“As humans, it’s easier for us to make quick judgment,” Ngô said. “Pages like this do a good job of showing people that’s not the reality, that people are complex, not just what they look like or their background. Even if someone fits certain parts of your stereotype, they still have a complex personality and part of their life that you can’t know until you talk to them.”
