Ever wonder why my business is called “Unknown Photography”? You’d think a photographer would want to be known—that’s how you get clients—and you’d be right. But a lot of my work is out there under “Anonymous” and “Unknown.” I’ve posted my art in the past on numerous platforms under these aliases because it allowed me to be raw and not hold back for fear of judgment.

I chose the word “Unknown” as an homage to my last name, “Underwood,” and my father’s business, “Uncommon.”

Most photographers operate under their own names to engage more directly with clients, but for a long time, I was just “Unknown.” Now that I get to share my work as Aurora, I don’t want to lose the part of myself that shared her art even with the fear of backlash.