Tea, as symbolism, has a long history in various cultures around the world. Within queer culture, tea can represent trans people, testosterone, and gossip, just to name a few. T4Tea is a photo series depicting trans and non-binary folks in my community, taken on black and white film in both studio and domestic settings. The film is developed in butterfly pea flower tea, which brews a bright blue, then turns a pink or purple when paired with lemon. The images are then printed with cyanotype on empty, used tea bags, and toned in hibiscus, green, and peppermint teas. 

The resulting prints are strung together to highlight what makes each person unique, while reinforcing our shared strength through connection, and our collective endeavor to provide a safe space from the harshness of the world. Like an individual’s routine of making tea, each step in the creation of this series is a ritual that allows me to spend time with each person, getting to know them, and facilitating a space for them to express themselves. This series focuses on the kinship between queer folks, the importance of finding community, and the ways we share love.