Geraldine Tolentino

Hello!

My name is Geraldine Tolentino. I grew up in the Philippines, and moved to Hawai’i back in 2015. Funny thing is I have two high school diplomas, one from Casa del Nino Science High School and one from Waipahu High School. I was so unsure about my future back then, but I’ve always been on the creative side. I was always behind a camera growing up too, so I took up photography as an elective in Waipahu High School. I’ve been really into it, got into UH West O’ahu, and then I took classes for digital video and animation, which I really liked. So that’s how I ended up with my Capstone project. If I were an artist’s tool, I’d be light or lighting because whenever I walk into the room, I “brighten” up the mood. Ha! Just kidding. I most likely resonate with a camera the most. I like exploring different perspectives, literally and figuratively. There are usually different sides to every story, and I like thinking about that. Cameras also have the ability to capture memories that you might not get back, and I tend to do that with my collection of mementos from different moments in my life.

Research Topic: Photojournalism

Research Question: Does the style of photography dictate the narrative?

Capstone Project: Web Series

Title: A Photographer's Toolbox

Abstract

In photography, a picture is often worth a thousand words. My research discusses how to understand those words. It explores the various ways to interpret the meaning and/or narrative behind a photograph depending on the subject matter, composition, color, and lighting, as well as the social-historical context of the person viewing it. Symbolism also plays a big part in this interpretation. The research also explores the similarity of how a person interprets a picture and Sartre’s and Heidegger’s understanding of the human consciousness and existence.