Havener’s winning submission is called Reflecting on Absence, an introspective, inviting and low-lit series of photos telling the story of how people struggle to cope with isolation and lack of contact. “It’s meant to convey the way people deal with loneliness,” Havener explained. “In this case, a lack of social interaction experienced during COVID and the more general, existential fear of being alone.”

Havener said his goal with his photography is to connect to the viewer and hope that the work imprints back on them. “This project … with the themes of absence and longing, reflects onto a world that has recently shared the experience of separation.”

One of Havener’s most significant influences is his father, who used to work in the film industry. “His eye for a cinematic shot has shed onto me through all of the films he’s shown me,” he explained. “[My father], plus the need for me to use photos for reference in paintings as well as the desire to gain professional skills in lighting, led me into photography.”

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