Assignment 6

One Shot Summary: Volleyball as Life, Photography as Reflection

For our final blog in MMS 173, we were asked to choose one picture that summarizes or symbolizes our experience in this course. The goal is to reflect, not only on the photo but throughout the process while taking this course through the lens of photography and through our lives as online learners. After going through all my photos this trimester, both from real life and in-game there was one image that stood out to me more than anything else: a photo I took during a UAAP women's volleyball game.

The image shows the University of the Philippines volleyball team mid-play as they face the Adamson University as their last game for the season 87. The pressure is visible wherein players are very focused, nervous, the crowd holding their breath while watching the game. The scoreboard reads 18–16. It was a crucial moment, the final game and unfortunately, they lost. But even in loss, there was something incredibly powerful about that moment. It wasn’t defeat that I saw; it was resilience, unity, effort, and a kind of unspoken promise that they gave everything they had. That’s what this class, and honestly, this entire semester, felt like for me. A volleyball match. A series of rallies, pressure, teamwork, and growth. Sometimes we win, sometimes we fall short, but we always show up and give our best.

Being a working student this trimester was like being in a high-pressure match every week. Imagine doing freelance work, accomplishing school deadlines, personal life, and mental health felt almost impossible at times. I often questioned myself, am I doing good? Am I going to make it? Just like in a game, I felt the pressure building: thoughts about my future, my grades, my work performance, all bouncing around like a fast-paced rally. But just like in volleyball, I reminded myself that every point, every effort, matters. And even if we don’t always win the set, the growth is in the playing.

This course, MMS 173, was one of the few spaces that allowed me to really connect two big parts of my identity: being a freelance photographer and being a student. It made me enjoy photography and explore different ideas. Even though I’ve been doing freelance work for a while, this class reminded me that photography isn’t just about getting the “clean” or “perfect” shot but it is about how you tell stories using pictures. In fact, I took pictures so I can remember because it is also important to appreciate everyday life. That UAAP photo wasn’t just technically good; it was emotionally charged, and that’s why I chose it. It says everything without saying anything.

I used to play volleyball back in high school, so the connection runs even deeper. I know the kind of discipline because it takes a lot of process until you perform better. You need to fail, train again, and then perform under pressure. Athletes aren’t born ready; they grow into it with time, pain, patience, and perseverance. It’s the same for us students. No one is born with the ability to balance work, school, and life without breaking down sometimes. But this class helped me realize that it’s okay to break a little, as long as you keep going. You keep learning. You keep creating.

From the first week of MMS 173, I set a goal for myself: to explore photography beyond what I already knew. As someone who already does freelance photography, I wanted to make sure I didn’t just coast through the class. I wanted to challenge myself to do my best in each task with the curiosity of a beginner and the commitment of a professional. But in reality, a lot of my classmates are good and I was amazed from their work. With this, I experimented more, tried new concepts, and opened myself up to critique. I didn’t just submit to pass—I submitted to learn and inspire.

One of the most noteworthy experiences I had in this course was creating the photo tasks that involved storytelling. These were not just about composition or lighting, but about voice and meaning. They pushed me to think outside the box and what I wanted my photos to say and what kind of photographer I wanted to be. I just realized that I want to make work that feels honest wherein I did my 101% in everything I do.

Of course, there are things I could’ve done better. Time management and multitasking was a big struggle, especially during weeks where I experienced overlapping deadlines for school and client shoots. There were moments when I submitted work that I knew I could’ve done better if I had more time. But I also understand that this is part of the learning process. As for the class itself, I think better feedback could’ve helped me stay engaged, especially in an asynchronous environment, however I don’t have much of the luxury of time to do this because of my work.

Photography, after this course, has become more personal to me. Before, it was just a passion and now it has become a job that is something I did for clients or for social media content. Now, I see it as a way of documenting my life, reflecting my purpose, and making sense of my experiences. I realized that the camera is not just a tool to make you realize the importance of everything. It captures what I see but also how I feel and appreciate in life. It’s made me fall in love with photography again, not just as a craft, but as a language.

When it comes to communication, I admit that I wasn’t always the most active in forums or group discussions. I struggled with engaging online, partly because of my schedule. However, the communication that mattered most to me was the assignments the way the tasks made me reflect and converse with myself. Still, I do recognize that feeling of having connection to classmates and to our professor it makes a huge difference. Whenever I did get the chance to interact, even in small ways, it reminded me that I’m not alone in this journey.

The Zoom sessions I managed to attend were helpful in clarifying expectations and connecting lessons to real-world practices. More than that, they gave a sense of community, even just for an hour. It reminded me that UPOU isn’t just an online platform—it’s made up of people, all learning in their own ways, with their own challenges.

As a student and aspiring creative professional, my biggest takeaway from this class is that growth is never instant because it takes time. It’s hard, challenging, and often slow. But every photo we take, every assignment we complete, every late night we spend editing or thinking—it all adds up. Whether or not we feel “successful” at the moment, it is  good already because we're building something. Just like in volleyball, we don’t win every point, but every rally gets us closer to who we want to become.

To sum it all up, this UAAP volleyball photo is more than just a sports shot. It’s a metaphor. For me. For this class. For this semester. It’s the chaos and pressure of life. It’s the tension of a moment where everything matters. But it’s also the beauty of effort, the honesty of trying, and the strength in continuing even when the scoreboard isn’t in your favor.

Everything happens for a reason. As long as you’ve did your best, there’s nothing to be afraid of. That’s a lesson I’ve learned through volleyball, through photography, and in life. No matter what the result, what matters is the effort, the heart, and the growth along the way. And just like what we always shout in our UP chants “UP Fight!”