Catching up with Maya Bengston
During her four years at Huntington High School Maya Bengston developed into a compelling young photographer. Frequently seen with camera in hand, her work captivated admirers of all ages. Now she’s taking steps to turn the activity she loves into a career as she studies with some of the best and brightest at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.
“I was very overwhelmed when I first came to SVA,” Ms. Bengston said last Friday afternoon. “Being surrounded by so many talented and creative people is intimidating, but getting to know one another and sharing portfolios is really inspiring.”
Ms. Bengston, who graduated with Huntington’s Class of 2009 last june, is taking five courses this fall, including photo history, introduction to photography, photography workshop, photo foundations and literature and writing. She said that five classes might not seem like many but they are long, especially the six-hour long photography workshop course.
“They are really enjoyable classes,” the Huntington grad said about her initial college schedule. “We have such great darkroom facilities here, and who doesn't like homework that requires you to go to a new art gallery?!”
Ms. Bengston’s approach to photography can only be called intense. She wants to master every aspect of it. She is always ready for a new challenge and enjoys experimenting with new techniques. There’s a strong desire to be the best.
Just how far can Ms. Bengston go in the world of photography? Very far say her former teachers and classmates. Her remarkable creativity and limitless energy have been recognized by many who have admired her work.
Some say a photographer’s eye is something that cannot be learned. You either have it or you don’t. Whether that’s true or not, Ms. Bengston is blessed with just such an eye. Her work is incredibly multi-dimensional, so much so that it borders on breathless, ranging from dramatic, fun and exciting to eerily subdued, beautifully traditional and almost shockingly explosive.
The Huntington alum said she is currently quite busy “applying for fall internships outside of SVA for different magazines.” Ms. Piffard, who said she speaks to her protégé all the time, is bursting with pride whenever a conversation turns to Ms. Bengston, who is increasingly spreading her wings and lifting off to fly on her own.
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