As a senior at Philadelphia High School for Creative & Performing Arts, Laila Holmes wanted to preserve her experiences being a high school student and teenager.

So, she decided to take a bunch of photographs and subsequently published her work in a new book, writes Matteo Iadonisi for 6abc. 

The book is titled, Etherness, “which is the wistful feeling of looking around at a gathering of loved ones and knowing that, although it feels warm and like fun right now, it won’t always be like this,” said Holmes.

Each page features photos of her friends at the park, on the subway, and in other casual environments.

Holmes got her first camera at age 14, and in 2021 started getting into filming and doing photoshoots with her friends, which led to her photography book.

The book serves as a time capsule, capturing her and her friends’ last moments together as high schoolers.

Holmes will be majoring in photography when she heads off to college in a few months.

“I really want to do fashion photography for magazines … I’d also like to do styling and continue filmmaking,” Holmes said.

She also hopes to release more photography books and see her photography featured in mainstream media.

Learn more about Laila Holmes, her photography, and new book in 6abc.

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