For the Height theme, I chose to capture a tree whose branches formed the shape of a heart valve. Its height is not just measured in feet; it is felt in the way it symbolizes the natural drive to reach toward the sky. 

To amplify this sense of scale, I framed the shot from a low angle, making the tree loom overhead. I wanted the viewer to feel as if they were standing beneath it, looking up into something larger than life. 

No matter how high we climb, how far we go, or how deeply we root ourselves into the earth, it all circles back to love. 

I made a deliberate choice not to crop or level the image. The slight imperfections in the framing add to the organic feel of the composition (raw, unfiltered, just as nature intended). The shallow depth of field allows the heart-shaped branches to take center stage, almost as if they were pulsing with life, while the crisp textures of the bark and leaves add to the grounded realism of the shot.

I briefly considered a black-and-white edit to emphasize contrast, but ultimately, I left the colors untouched. There is something inherently alive in the natural hues that reinforces the tree’s vibrancy. Stripping away that color would strip away its energy, its pulse. In the end, I wanted this photo to embody not just height, but life itself.

For the Pattern theme, I chose to capture the intricate design of my chandelier (along with the ceiling). The chandelier, with its carefully arranged arms and bulbs, created a stunning symmetry that spoke to the precision of the beauty found in repetition. I was laying down and looked up one night when I got the idea. Oddly enough, it looked like an eye to me. (Radial balance?)

I decided to apply a black-and-white filter to emphasize the form without the distraction of color. By stripping away the hues, the photo focuses purely on the shapes, lines, and shadows that make up the chandelier’s pattern. The high contrast in the monochrome edit draws attention to the symmetry, allowing the viewer to appreciate the perfect balance of each element.

To enhance this balance, I made use of cropping and leveling in the photo. Cropping helped me create a better focus, solely on the pattern and symmetry of the design. Leveling ensured that the chandelier was (nearly) perfectly aligned. 

For the Night theme, I chose to capture a scene with a lantern placed on a pot with branches stretching upward as if it were reaching for the moon to absorb its light. The branch’s movement creates the illusion of a quiet, almost mischievous yearning, much like Gru's antics in Despicable Me, where he relentlessly strives to steal the moon. 

The composition, with the lantern softly glowing beneath the branch, evokes a sense of ambition and mystery. The moonlight is not just something to admire from a distance; it is something to claim, to pull down and make your own. 

Through this shot, I wanted to blend the whimsy and longing of a lantern to glow at night, and the light we seek to bring into our lives, even in the darkest hours.

I did not make use of cropping nor leveling, but I did utilize the auto adjustments the Apple camera roll has for its photos. 

For the Flower theme, I captured two plumeria flowers positioned in a way that, along with their branches, naturally formed a smiley face. Flowers often symbolize beauty and fragility, but in this composition, they also represent joy: nature’s way of smiling back at us.

The curved branches act as the gentle arc of a smile, while the plumeria flowers resemble bright, expressive eyes. There is something effortlessly cheerful about the arrangement, as if the flowers themselves are greeting the viewer with warmth and lightheartedness. By framing the shot this way, I wanted to emphasize how nature often reflects emotions back at us, whether we realize it or not.

The image plays with perspective, inviting the viewer to see something more than just flowers. Sometimes, happiness is not something we create; it is something we notice.

I did not make use of leveling nor cropping for this photo, it is just a raw picture. Naturally, I lean more into organic qualities with my pictures of nature.

For the Motion theme, I captured a candle held by a small statue, with the fire flickering and shifting, creating an aura around it. Fire is both beautiful and dangerous. It dances freely, yet demands something in return. To hold fire is to risk being burned, but sometimes, the only way forward is through the flame.

The little statue, unmoving, offers the flame as if it understands that to create light, something must be consumed. The glow radiates outward, but it exists only because the wick is burning, slowly sacrificing itself to keep the fire alive.

This shot embodies the idea that growth often requires pain, that in order to overcome something, you must be willing to step into discomfort, even if it means risking the burn. 

Fire does not hesitate, and neither can we.

This was shot candidly. I swung my phone a couple of times in hopes of distorting or manipulating the way the fire looks when taking a photo of it.