Letter to Dylan Clemens
“Dylan is so cognizant about what I have been going through, and he will drop everything to help bring me back to a positive mood. He is one of the most genuine people I have ever met in this world. I will work every day for the rest of my life to repay him. He was the one that helped me come to my senses that I should put myself back into therapy. He knows how to keep it real, he tells me the tough things straight, yet he is so inviting.”
Dear Dylan,
Thank you for being such an inspiration to HEX #aa4322, he believes you have impacted him tremendously. You have been a huge part as to why the images were composed a certain way for the dissemination of Ryan’s story. I, especially, appreciate how much of an inspiration you have been in Ryan’s life to help him grow and constantly remind him that he is a beautiful human being. Hearing your impact in his life really helped me capture the story of Ryan in the best way possible for this project.
Based off of my interview with Ryan, You are HEX CODE: #e4d00a because you are bright, optimistic, and brave. Ryan appreciates you for those qualities. Your HEX CODE has the emphasis of bravery and optimism. Kudos to you for being as brave as you are. I understand that you have a lot going on, but it says a great deal about your character that you find the time to bring out the best in others when you have things going on of your own. This leads me into stating the components of your character that are translated into a unique color HEX CODE which I made for you and is named after you.
DYLAN: HEX: #e4d00a
You are the color of sunshine. You are the light that keeps reminding Ryan of positive times ahead and of the glistening realities that are in his future, when Ryan is in his dark place. You are the reason why Ryan has found strength within himself to be positive. Having a personality of the color yellow means you are very hopeful and find positivity within every negative situation. You believe everyone has a need to be living on this earth and that there is a positive purpose to every event occurring whether positive or negative. You are energetic, creative, and uplifting. You are a huge helping hand and never quit until positivity flourishes.
Being the color of sunshine, however, you burn sometimes. You bring up the hard hitting questions even in situations where it may be uncomfortable to talk about, you believe that the honest opinion or truth is the one that will help people turn into their best self even if it is hard to hear.
Everyone else’s energy of others is derived from you; your morals, your energy, your personality. You are the center of people’s universes. You are the reminder that darkness does not rob people of reason.
A moment between you and Ryan that exemplified your characteristics and your relationship with him is the first time Ryan opened up to you about everything going on in his life.
“ [I opened up about]..my struggles. Opening up to someone who I knew would never judge me was a huge moment between us. I’ve never had a friend that I could cry in front of that wouldn’t judge me, but instead supported me. He gave me a hug and we talked for probably two and a half hours sharing stories whether they were happy or sad, we just shared a lot with each other that day. I’ve never felt like I had that safe space with one of my friends and he provided me with a safe space which is what I really needed. That conversation with him made me realize why I needed therapy so much and a couple months later I put myself in and to this day I still think of what that two hour convo did to me. Really was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Ryan believes walking through life with you has been an amazing journey; he honors you and the rest of the years you both will have together. Continue to embrace and support the people you care about, those yellow elements of your personality are what is going to brighten the environments you place yourself in.
Keep brightening everyone’s lives. :)
Warmly,
Siena Pennington
**This is the photo in his story that you were the inspiration for the use of exposure, composition, and lighting.**
The yellow tints in this photograph represents you. You are the illumination that grasps him while he battles multiple personalities, the one that keeps him sane. The placement of your yellow is right above his mouth and on his neck. The representation of your neck placement is that you are the ideal symbol of love for Ryan, you drape him with protection. The representation of your placement right above the mouth is that you lead him to breathing fresh air, you do not breathe for him.
