Work samples
About Samantha
Thanks for stopping by!
Mental illness and trauma is something that has always deeply impacted me and my family, but it wasn't till after the loss of my niece, Maddie, that The Empty Hourglass Project (a safe space for those affected by mental illness, trauma, addiction, loss, etc. to heal through creative means) came about in 2019. While it initally started out as (and continues to be) a photography book in which we re-tell people's true stories of mental… more
The Empty Hourglass Project: 50 Lives/50 Truths (Volume 1)
Every soon-to-be-published story is based on true accounts of loss, abuse, addiction, suicide, trauma, and mental illness. Triumphs and heartbreaks from all walks of life retold through conceptual photography and the transformative power of art.
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God's Lion: Child LossPhotographer: Kiati Plooks / Models: Jade Marie and Lorna Darling / Story: Laura Austin / Concept: Samantha Trionfo
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Me, Myself, & I: Bipolar & BPDPhotographer: Kiati Plooks / Model: Tracy Natasha / Story: Anonymous / Concept: Andrew Key, Rebecca Ellis, Samantha Trionfo, Tim Brosius
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The Nightmare: Post Infidelity Stress DisorderPhotographers: David Rohrbach and Kiati Plooks / Models: Donald Truong, Mandari Noir, and Rebecca Sanicola / Story: Mandari Noir / Concept: Andrew Key, Rebecca Ellis, Samantha Trionfo, Tim Brosius
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Eat Your Heart Out: OCDPhotographer: Mark Robert Rogers / Model: Sarah Bentman / Story: Carlye Fenner / Concept: Andrew Key, Mark Robert Rogers, Rebecca Ellis, Samantha Trionfo, Tim Brosius
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What's Left Behind: Alcohol AddictionPhotographer: Michael Virts / Models: Dave Schaible and Tim Brosius / Story: Anonymous / Concept: Andrew Key, Rebecca Ellis, Samantha Trionfo, Tim Brosius
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Master & Servant: Crack CocainePhotographer: Scott Church / Model: Adam G. and Rebecca Ellis / Story: Adam G. / Concept: Andrew Key, Rebecca Ellis, Samantha Trionfo, Tim Brosius
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Battle Scars: Self-HarmPhotographer: Scott Church / Model: Catrina Rae / Story: Catrina Rae / Concept: Catrina Rae and Samantha Trionfo
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Rise of the Phoenix: Self-LovePhotographer + Edits: Tim Brosius / Model: Rebecca Ellis / Story: Rebecca Ellis / Concept: Rebecca Ellis and Tim Brosius
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Running in Circles: Gambling AddictionPhotographer + Edits: Tim Brosius / Model: Joe Cabrera / Story: L. Walsh / Concept: Andrew Key, L. Walsh, Rebecca Ellis, Samantha Trionfo, Tim Brosius
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The Intruders: Cyber BullyingPhotographer: James Phelps / Edits: Tim Brosius / Model: Vivienne Rose / Story: Melanie Soule (known as Vivienne Rose) / Concept: Andrew Key, Melanie Soule, Rebecca Ellis, Samantha Trionfo, Tim Brosius
The Empty Hourglass Project: Immersive Exhibitions
In addition to our recently published book, 50 Lives/50 Truths: Reimagined Through Art - Volume 1 (partially funded by MSAC!), that is the re-telling of true stories of mental illness, loss, trauma, healing, and more through conceptual photography, we're grateful to share that we had the opportunity to turn those stories from our book into an immersive, walk-through exhibit on the Catonsville and Essex campuses of the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) from the fall of 2022 to the Fall of 2023.
Visitors were able to experience each story from the contributor's perspective, as well as share their own stories and art at our creation stations and healing tree (designed by Freddie Graves).
Many thanks to the students and faculty for their help in bringing the exhibits to fruition!
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Fall 2023 Immersive Exhibit
Yes, that is actually half of a truck that (thanks to Petry's Junk Yard in Westminster) we were able to install. This true story touched on living with suicidal ideation and an attempt that was made by driving in the way of an oncoming dump truck.
The truck we used for the original shoot and the the truck that we ended up purchasing from Petry's was (unknowingly, at the time we bought it) both GMC's, which we found too coincidental.
As it was being wheeled in, we liked the track marks that were left behind, so we bought tire stencils and painted over the shape they left so that the tire tracks remained for the entirety of the show. -
Fall 2022 Immersive Exhibit
1 of 4 projections created from scratch. In this projection, Tim Brosius was able to make it seem as if the photograph is actually moving using VFX and by wearing a green body suit and performing the actions and head turns we wanted the picture to do. He then overlapped that image onto the video, which is what gives us the result you see in the photograph.
The original sketch drawn by the story contributor, Syd, (which inspired the photograph) was then printed on clear vinyl and added to plexiglass for the first exhibit. For the second exhibit, it was re-traced on canvas using projected images.
Syd's story talked about his battle against heroin addiction and experiencing withdrawal.
Syd recently passed away at the age of 30 on 12/9/23. May he rest in peace. -
Fall 2022 Immersive Exhibit
An almost empty nursery to symbolize the womb, except for the splash of red to depict blood, life, and loss of life after losing a child to an abortion (after getting diagnosed with Fetal Skeletal Dysplasia).
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Fall 2022 Immersive Exhibit
A series of shadow box mirrors highlighting what it's like to live with bipolar and borderline personality disorder. Each visitor is able to view their reflection in each mirror, as well as 4 sets of emotions (anger, mania, depression, numbness) that was modeled by Rebecca Ellis and shot by Tim Brosius.
Mirror boxes were created using lumber, sheets of glass, mirror paint, led strips, and photography.
Mirror box concept - Samantha Trionfo
Mirror box creations - Kiati Plooks and Paris Trionfo
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Fall 2022 Immersive Exhibit
The very first story every shot for The Empty Hourglass Project that touched on struggling with thoughts of suicide and living with depression.
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Fall 2023 Immersive Exhibit
Our 360 immersive dance room that highlights the topic of struggling with suicide, attempts, and "dancing with death."
Cinematography and edits - Tim Brosius
Dancers - Melissa Blaner and Chris Reif -
Fall 2023 Immersive Exhibit
Additional prints of 25 true stories re-told through conceptual photography from our book, 50 Lives/50 Truths: Reimagined Through Art - Volume 1.
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Fall 2023 Immersive Exhibit
Prints from every story we conceptualized, story-boarded, designed, shot, and edited decorate the walls, along with a "time capsule" of props and set pieces from a selection of those stories.
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Fall 2023 Immersive Exhibit
Our walk-through/in incubator that replicated a hospital interior and the empty incubator of a 3 month old child. This was a true story of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
In the middle you can see our creation station chalkboard table, healing tree to hang art and personal stories from, as well as oversized pills made from styrofoam and pool noodles.
On the other side is a true story of struggling with suicide and attempting by driving into an oncoming truck. We were fortune to be able to install an actual truck in the gallery, along with a full 360 video room of silhouettes dancers and the story contributor "dancing with death." -
3D Interactive Tour - Exhibit 2 (Catonsville Campus)
A quick walk-through of our 2nd exhibit on the CCBC Catonsville campus.
For more 3D tours, visit our website at www.emptyhourglassproject.com/events