On the second floor of the Studio Gallery in Dupont hangs the works of acclaimed international and local photographers. But as visitors walk up the stairs, they aren’t greeted by professional pieces, but senior Olivia Alonso’s two-color photographs.

Alonso’s work is displayed in conjunction with D.C. Fotoweek, an annual festival which took place Nov. 6-13. The festival displays photographic work in participating art galleries around the D.C. Metropolitan area.

This is Alonso’s first year participating in D.C. Fotoweek. Adah Bitterbaum, the director for the Studio Gallery, first met Alonso and saw her work when Alonso volunteered to help set up an arts show at the gallery.

“Olivia is our emerging artist for the show,” she said. “She’s the only high school student showing.”

When looking through Alonso’s portfolio for photos to display, Bitterbaum said she wasn’t only looking for Alonso’s strongest pictures, but ones that would work with the rest of the exhibit.

“Since I knew who the other artists were, I thought about how her images would work with those of the other artists,” Bitterbaum said.

Photography teacher Marjorie Scott remarked on how Alonso grew as a photographer from her sophomore year in level-two photography to her senior year in level four. While Alonso didn’t use abstraction as much in her photographs in the three previous years, Scott said she has since become a more sophisticated photographer.

“She goes beyond capturing a subject for what it is,” Scott said.  “She takes into account the elements of design and framing her images now.”

Alonso said that the reason for her shift in subject matter occurred over the summer, when she grew tired of her typical shooting subjects.

“I wanted to try and challenge myself,” she said. “I believe that anyone can pick up a camera and take a picture of something they find pretty. I wanted to try something new and see something beautiful in everyday life.”

Though Alonso wants to take photography courses in college, she’s uncertain whether she will one day become a full time photographer.

“I have no idea what I want to do at this point,” she said. “I would like to pursue photography as a career, but if that doesn’t happen, then so be it.”