Emily Koehler is a lens-based artist located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Her photographic work centers around urbanization, intimate human relationships, and the passage of time. She observes and captures the remains of human interactions in discarded objects on the streets, the rise and fall of urban structures, and the imperfect yet intimate relationships within her circle of friends. Through the incorporation of her poetry practice, Emily creates deeply personal and narrative photographic works that capture feelings of loss, change, and growth.

Emily’s work is informed by her frequent walks around Denton, TX, and the University of North Texas campus, where she is currently enrolled as a student. During these walks, she often stops to photograph the unusual and overlooked objects that she encounters. She is inspired by the textures and formal qualities of the discarded items she finds on the ground and the disorienting landscapes in the window reflections she passes by. In addition, her work aims to capture the emotional complexity of her college experiences, focusing on the relationships she has built with those around her.

Emily’s work is highly influenced by Lewis Baltz and the subject matter of the New Topographic movement, as well as the aesthetics of the early 20th-century street photography. She primarily works in black and white, as it highlights the formal qualities and textures of the objects she is photographing. She prefers using natural lighting and minimal manipulation to capture her subjects as authentically as possible. She also emphasizes the chaotic beauty of human relationships by abstracting her subjects through close-ups and unconventional angles.