Most fine arts students chose to focus on a single concentration, a medium in which they can perfect their craft. Photography, dance, music and painting–there are endless forms of expression for students. However, junior Natalie Behling has created her own form, in which she explores ‘mixed media,’ a synthesis of multiple elements of art. Originally pursuing photography, Behling’s interest for graphic art and drawing has found its way into her work. She uses a fine pen to draw on top of her portraits, adding new, imaginative elements. Her passion springs from another artist, Alana Dee Haynes, a New York based photographer who is known for this type of art.

“Mr. Sykora introduced me to Alana Dee Haynes and after that, I began doing my first multimedia piece. I was really intrigued by it; I was like, ‘this is fantastic.’ I found it so unique compared to just snapping a photo. With mixed media, you have to go through this process and it’s almost just calming to make something so amazing by drawing on a picture,” Behling said.

Mixed media is a relatively new exploration for Behling. Long before finding this concentration, she was exploring general photography. After focusing on landscape for quite some time, she transitioned into portraiture. When she entered Deerfield’s photography program, Behling utilized her classmates as subjects. Soon, she had developed her own style of portraiture. Much of her work is open to interpretation by the viewer, who she hopes will decipher the emotions of her subjects. Shadows, lighting and angles are all subtle details that she uses to make a visual impact.

“Photography is true capture of life. A painting can try to do that, but it’s not raw. Or authentic. A picture is more like the reality of it. A painting can be altered to expose different realities, but in a photo, you can’t do that. You are forced to deal with what’s in front of you,” Behling said.

The emotion in her portraits goes far beyond the surface. Her interest in photography developed from her own emotional obstacles after the loss of her grandfather, who passed away suddenly. Behling remembers her grandfather’s interest in photography. He always had a camera in his hands and was consistently documenting his granddaughter’s childhood. In an effort to carry on his legacy, she picked up a camera of her own.

“I didn’t really have any way of bringing peace to my life because he was in a coma. I had to kind of find a way to channel my sadness. At first, I wasn’t as committed to it, but as I like went on, I realized that this is a way to remember my grandfather. I think of him every time I take a picture,” Behling said.

Those who have worked alongside Behling can see that her passion comes from a very authentic place. Timothy Bleck instructs Behling in AP Art. He noticed her unique approach from the moment she walked through the door.

“She takes beautiful photographs and she adds this other element to them, enhancing the mood of the portrait she took. I’ve never had a student who has made that a concentration. It was something that she came to me with and she really focused on pushing the limit with it,” Bleck said.

Behling’s peers and classmates have also taken notice of her creative style. One such classmate is Brandon Fishman, who has been featured in her work.

“You never know what she’s gonna draw. Her stuff is so awesomely unique,” Fishman said.

Unique is an excellent quality to have, according to Fishman. He says that while many other photography students are finding particular elements of style that they like, she has completely created her own approach.

“When you walk through the halls and see art student’s work, you can stop and say ‘while that’s cool,’ but hers really grabs your attention. The amount of work she puts into her pieces really shows in the final product.”

Behling’s poise goes beyond the camera. She retains a first class attitude and contagious energy in and out of class. Her focus and determination was quickly noticed by art teacher Christopher Sykora, who taught Behling last year and continues to offer insight into some of her work this year.

“We have a lot of really strong photo students right now, but Natalie has a lot of direction and focus in her work and that makes her stand out. She is probably one of the most receptive people to critique. She looks at it as a way to improve her work. Natalie is always in a good mood, and she’s pretty vocal about it,” Sykora said.

It’s this type of direction that will aide Behling in the future, according to Sykora. Her greatest asset will be her versatility. Perhaps, he says, she could test out mixed media in fields such as marketing and advertising. Wherever she is drawn, Sykora is confident that art will be a part of it.

“She comes off as a jack-of-all trades. She has a lot of options and she will explore them all,” Sykora said.

Behling has come a long way since she first picked up a camera. She has come to peace with her grandfather’s death. She discovered an outlet of expression to combat her naturally shy personality. She has created her own subcategory of art. For her, the future holds new discoveries and opportunities.