For Emma Tripp, capturing kids’ expressions with her camera lens is a passion.

The Dartmouth High senior surrounds herself with children, from working at a daycare, to living with siblings. That’s where Tripp’s inspiration for her advanced placement photography project came from. It’s titled “Emotions of Childhood.”

Tripp was one of 19 students presenting work at the school's art show on January 10. Since September, she has captured candid photos of youngsters in various emotional states — from sadness to anger. It’s been challenging, given how fidgety and/or prone to posing her subjects were, said Tripp.

The work on display was from students’ portfolios, explained unified arts teacher Susan Brunette. Students were tasked with meeting three criteria for their portfolios: concentration, breadth, and quality.

Concentration involves focusing on a particular theme and developing it from start to finish, while breadth shows technical competency with using a camera and composition techniques, Brunette explained.

For the exhibit, students turned to personal passions and stories for inspiration. Senior Alexias Soares was inspired by teenage struggles for her theme, burdens. Her photos feature a person covered with a scarf, which gradually fades away as her subject overcomes burdens, such depression and anxiety.

“A lot of teens these days go through things teens in the past did not,” Soares said.

Abigail Richard drew from her own experiences to document the rise – and fall – of a relationship, using photos she took of two friends to document falling in and out of love.

“I wasn’t sure where I was going with it,” Richard said. She decided on her theme after taking a few photos in the set, arranging her display at the art show to show the progression of a failed relationship.

Following the exhibit, students will send photos demonstrating concentration, breadth, and quality to reviewers. The portfolios will be graded for college credit.