Troy Kasper, Borderline (SINGLE SHOT 2026)

I use the medium of photography to capture a visual representation of the lived experience of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), where emotional states can feel heightened and abrupt, making relationships, identity, and self-perception intensely felt. Rather than existing within subtle gradients, these experiences can feel sharply divided, shifting rapidly between emotional extremes. To support this narrative, I have employed a split-face effect with influences from Man Ray’s solarisation technique, to create a visual language of duality contrast, and emotional intensity, and inviting the viewer to engage with the emotional complexity rather than observe it from a distance. The subject Leah, was diagnosed with BPD at the age of fifteen, and was important to me to move beyond diagnosis and represent her as a whole person. Someone navigating this complexity with strength and vulnerability. The work holds the tension between these states, acknowledging both struggle and agency.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.