By KENNY WALTER
Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — A local photographer is shining the light on 100 women who either live or work in Long Branch.
Andrea Phox recently concluded a 14-month pursuit of finding and photographing 100 local women as part of “SHINE: 100 Women of Long Branch.” The project is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Long Branch Free Public Library.
“I just followed my gut, I got suggestions from people,” Phox said. “Long Branch is such a diverse environment, so I was trying to go all races, creeds, colors and economic level.
“I just proceeded to shoot and get bios, and today we are completed with the photography and the brochure. Now is the time to design the album, and the [exhibit] will hang in the Long Branch Public Library on Nov. 3.”
On Aug. 9, Phox photographed the 100th and final subject of the project when she photographed Long Branch Councilwoman Mary Jane Celli at City Hall.
Phox said the display will be available at the library for two months and then her goal is to have the project displayed elsewhere in Long Branch.
“My hope is to move it around — I’d like it to be in the middle school, I’d like it to be in the high school,” she said.
Phox began planning the show in June of 2015 at the behest of Lisa Kelly, publicity and outreach manager for the Long Branch Public Library.
“We kind of cooked it up, and I wrote it up and I got approval from the library director and then I just started choosing women randomly,” she said.
Phox said the aim of the project is to bring people together.
“For me the significance is bringing the community together,” she said. “There are a lot of women that know each other, but there are a lot of women who will never meet each other.
“But the context of this show creates an environment where people can meet each [other] who might [otherwise] never cross paths.”
Phox also said she wanted to show each of the subjects in the photographs in their best light.
“Each woman should shine [her] light,” Phox said. “It was a goal of mine to have that be a really enjoyable experience and to use all my professional and technical knowledge to make everybody look their best and feel good about themselves.”
The project will be on display at the library beginning Nov. 3, and immediately following the opening of the exhibition at the library, a celebratory networking event is scheduled at McLoone’s Pier House in Long Branch.
All proceeds from the SHINE project and this event will be equally divided between the Long Branch Free Public Library and 180 Turning Lives Around.
Tickets to the event can be purchased at www.andreaphox.com/store/extra-registrations.