Year taken: Junior
To me, Photography is never just a still image of the world at the moment the shutter is pressed. Photography breathes, sings, and cries-- it is part of me. In the spring of my junior year, I took Photography II. This course revealed the true world of photography and the true self to me.
In this class, we got the opportunity to explore a myriad of photographic methods and styles and did three projects, each in a different medium: analogue, digital, and alternative process. I learned techniques like how to capture a water drop perfectly, long exposure and double exposure in my instant camera, and experimentation with cyanotype for the first time. I also created a website to showcase my work and wrote artist statements. This process allowed me to develop a habit of recording any sudden inspiration and the procedure of creating a picture. These writings and notes will be extremely valuable to look back at as they would tell and remind me of the whole story, even when I am an old granny.
Nevertheless, mastering new techniques and gaining new habits are not the only things I gained from this class. In fact, compared to what I am going to talk about next, these techniques may seem dispensable. While doing these three experiments, I kept thinking back to the questions Mr. Hutchinson asked me when we first met: Why did you take pictures? People may watch for a few seconds and say"wow", but then what? Indeed, the meaning and message of each image is the soul. That’s when I realized the true power of photography and the fact that art is my best medium to contribute and raise my voice in social events and global issues. With these in mind, I created the following series of photos: “Life in Pandemic,” “the Hidden,” and “Lost and Found,”each focusing on a different social phenomenon/issue. “Life in Pandemic” is a series of self portraits that abstractly reflects the psychological world of people living in the pandemic. The pictures convey a sense of loss, restriction, and distortion. I hope people can realize that they are not alone in this crisis and we all feel the same. For the series named “The Hidden,” I focused on corners people wouldn’t usually pay attention to, just like some dark area in people’s heart that they try to neglect. The photos conceptually present people’s emotional worlds and us, as strangers, peeking into them. I hope people can re-examine and be aware of the world around them and their own mental states by looking at this work. “Lost and Found” intended to raise awareness of stray animals and animal abuse. By comparing the photos of stray animals and pets in this series, the audience would immediately realize that stray animals are more vigilant with their eyes full of alienation and fear, while pets seem to be carefree and happy. Thus, Photography II class made me a better photographer -- and a more legitimate global citizen.