In order to convey the conflicting emotions of her subject, Parisi aptly uses lyrics from Radiohead’s High and Dry to caption the first photograph of the series. By using lyrics to accompany her photo series, Parisi adds an interesting layer to her photography, as viewers may be prone to digesting the image along with their own personal connection to the iconic Radiohead song.

The use of lyrics is also a pertinant nod to teenagehood in general, as it’s all too common for teens to recoil into the comfort of music, often a specific song or album, during difficult times.

Parisi tells us that she began to experiment with the use of bold colours in her photos, which has since become a staple element in her personal style.

Symbolism is another key element in her style – which is evident here, as the symbol for the female sex hangs just beneath the hand holding the cigarette – which could be read either as a mere fashion statement, or as a representation of female agency.

Here we see another powerful symbol and the namesake for her series, the tear. The subject is so broken up that her sadness has turned to exhaustion. The wax tear symbolizes the inability to cry. The use of colour here adds extra attention to the tear, as the cool blue hue stands out among the warm pink, red and orange tones of the shirt, the lipstick, and the hair. Perhaps Parisi is using a visual contrast to invoke a narrative or thematic one – possibly the complexities and the ups and downs of being a teenager.

Or perhaps the contrast of warm and cool is meant to represent the sensual versus the sorrow that is present in the series. Although there is undoubtedly a warm, romantic theme among the photos, the cool blue of the tear serves as a reminder of the sadness that exists otherwise hidden under the model’s collected exterior.

To see more of Parisi’s work, you can find her on both Instagram and Tumblr.