Artist Statement

The assignments in Photo 1 were challenging, yet exciting. I have never taken photos as a professional with a high quality camera before this class. In the beginning of first semester, I had little to no knowledge about elements and principles and rules of composition. Through these assignments, I learned more and more about not only the way the camera works, but the art it produces. My favorite assignment(s) was Artist Parody. It was kind of the starting point of expressing my identity and my voice through my photos. For example, I found beauty within myself and others after taking pictures in inspiration of photographer and writer Julia Margaret Cameron.

As a photographer, it's important to always critique and analyze your work, because let's be honest not every picture you take is truly a 10/10. From the beginning of the year, let me tell you my photography skills were absolutely horrendous. If you forgot about the student who took a picture of a railroad track AND a stop sign, here I am. There were every distraction you could think of in the background of my pictures, as well as no leading lines and everything was centered. As an artist, my work has greatly improved since August. I no longer carry around my invisible tool box of Rules of Composition and Elements and Principles because it's almost like a habit now, which is something that is crucial to be becoming a professional photographer.

(yikes, anyway)


Voice plays a key role in everyday life. Whether it's in writing, art or photography. In the beginning of the year, it was all about finding my voice because I didn't know how to express my identity as an artist. Now, showing my voice in my work is a piece of cake because it just comes natural to me. To keep it short and sweet, my voice is not used with words, but is shown in my work. My artwork expresses my thoughts and feelings about a specific subject. If I enjoy something, I use bright lights and I make it look enjoyable and positive using rules of composition and elements and principles. I think what makes my work more unique from the rest is that I know I'm different from a lot of students, but art is something that is embraced and cherished, and there's no time to point out the obvious differences from a student to another. In a lot of my work, I used music as a symbol of my voice. Whether it was my violin, guitar or concert tickets. Music has played a huge role in my influences because it's a form of expression that is used in my art work as well. As for my audience, I want them to not only gain knowledge of my personal identity, but to be inspired by my outlook on certain aspects of life.

Now for the big statement, I think it's important for any new artist to not be afraid of showing your voice. It's something that makes you stand out, but in a good way. Photography is in no way used in a form of judgement, so don't be afraid of stepping outside the required standards. When doing this, it can help you become an inspiration to the new artists that are just starting out. Photography changes your perspective on not only yourself, but the beauty around you. Embellish the opportunity to see life through a camera lens. 

Nature Hunt Reflection

I took pictures of different kinds of plants and trees as well as some landscape pictures. I set up my scene with moving the object so it was eye appealing so a person would want to stare at a tree for more than 7 seconds. I incorporated rules of composition by avoiding distractions. I also incorporated elements and principles by using value. I incorporated my voice by taking pictures up close to create emphasis on the certain parts of nature that I like. This assignment made realize that food photographers must really love their job, it was a really fun assignment. My strengths in the assignment include taking pictures up close. My weaknesses include trying to be creative and thinking outside of the box on how to set up my scene. If I could change anything it would be trying to go incorporate my voice in a creative way. 

Foodie Reflection

I took pictures of the different foods such as fruits, vegetables, candy as well as some sweet treats and bagels. I set up my scene with lots of light and a white background. I incorporated rules of composition by avoiding distractions. I also incorporated elements and principles by using value. I incorporated my voice as choosing foods that I like, and making them look more appetizing versus foods that I personally don't like and didn't use as much as emphasis on them. This assignment made realize that food photographers must really love their job, it was a really fun assignment. My strengths in the assignment include taking pictures up close. My weaknesses include trying to be creative and thinking outside of the box on how to set up my scene. If I could change anything it would be trying to go incorporate my voice in a creative way. 

Portraiture Blog Post

I took pictures of the myself as well as people in my family that hold place in my heart. I did this because it really explains my voice, and it shows what people have a lot of meaning to me. I set up my scene with lots of light and using flash, and also telling my subjects to pose. I incorporated rules of composition by avoiding distractions. I also incorporated elements and principles by using value and lines. I chose these objects as a example of things that mean a lot to me. This assignment made me see beauty in a bigger and broader perspective. My strengths in the assignment include taking the selfies backwards. My weaknesses include trying to be creative and thinking outside of the box. If I could change anything it would be trying to go incorporate my voice in a creative way. 

Panorama Reflection

I took pictures of the lake and my piano room in my house. I did this because it really explains my voice/ I love the lake and I enjoy playing piano. I set up my scene with lots of light from the sun as well as incorporating things I treasure such as friends and sea shells. I incorporated rules of composition by avoiding distractions. I also incorporated elements and principles by using value and lines. I chose these objects as a example of things that mean a lot to me. This assignment made me see things in a bigger and broader perspective, just like panoramas are taken to show so much more with a wide expansion in such a small picture. My strengths in the assignment include taking pictures and incorporating my voice. My weaknesses include trying to be creative and thinking outside of the box. If I could change anything it would be trying to go to somewhere far more interesting instead of my own home. 

Gif

For this photo shoot, I created a gif. I chose to include my piano and also included my concert treasures in the background to show my voice and love for music. I wanted my audience to see how much music means to me and how it's involved in my everyday life hinting that this was taken in my bedroom. My strengths was incorporating my voice, but a weakness that I think I couldn't ace the technical part of the rubric. I enjoyed making this gif because it was easy and fun to do!

Art In The Park Reflection

I took pictures of nature and the aspects that make up our world. I stayed outside and went to parks because trees and open space best describes what I was trying to portray in my photos. I set up my scene by using bright light from the sun and using rules of composition and principles. I included rule of thirds and closer and far and up close. I choose the lake as my subject matter, and I included my voice with using morse lake because I live on the lake and I enjoy taking pictures with water.
This made me appreciate all kinds of nature and the aspects that make Earth the way it is. My strengths include taking close ups of the texture of dirt and rocks and plants. It was harder to take pictures and trying to avoid the smallest distraction. I would change the places I went and try to go to more parks to take pictures of more wide ranges of landscape.

Noun Photoshoot Reflection

For my noun photoshoot, I took pictures of subjects that have the characteristics that involve light in beauty. I stayed in my house and in my neighborhood because I think there was a lot to take pictures of for this project that was all around me. I set up my scene by placing the subject by a light source to portray radiance of the subject. I incorporated rules of composition by avoiding distractions and getting close to my objects. I also incorporated elements and principles by using shapes and value, along with emphasis and patterns in my pictures. I chose subjects that portrayed a lot a beauty with deep meaning. I portrayed my voice my including my self in the project, as well as makeup and jewelry that I wear. This assignment has made me realize that beauty doesn't have to come from what makeup you wear or what hairstyle you have, it's more about appreciating the beauty that's around us and will always be there; nature. My strengths in this assignment include taking pictures and including the radiance. A weakness would be trying to think outside of the box, and trying to portray something deep and meaningful. If I could change anything about this assignment, it would be having a unique adjective that would help me explore my voice a bit more. 

Juxtaposition Reflection

I took pictures of things that have personal value to me in order to display my voice. I went around my house and neighborhood because it's close to home literally, and emotionally. I set up my scene with my objects close to a light source, whether it was the sun or a lamp. I incorporated rules of composition by avoiding distractions and getting close to my objects. I also incorporated elements and principles by using shapes and value, along with emphasis and patterns in my pictures. I chose one of my favorite books, and a tree trunk as my subjects. This helped portray my voice just because I love to read and I adore nature. This assignment made me realize how many opposites there are in the world and how easy it is to find them. Everything is related to each other in some way. My strengths in this assignment included taking pictures of things that I love, vs a weakness was stepping out of my comfort zone and taking pictures of things that I don't have any particular interest in. If I could change anything it would be using more time to take more deep and meaningful pictures. 

Parody Reflection

I took pictures of antiques in my house that hold the most value. I stayed at my house and my friends house because my family has a lot of antiques so it was very easy to take lots of pictures. I set up my scene by using the sun as my light source. Most of my pictures were taken by a window.  I incorporated color of the objects, as well as texture and emphasis of the subject. I also incorporated elements such as up close of lace and old money. Also none of my objects were centered. I chose antiques and people as my subjects. My voice was incorporated by using an actual picture of my great-great-grandmother from 1800's, which was Julia Camerons era. This assignment made me appreciate history and realize how different objects were then vs how advanced they are now. Strengths include emphasis on objects, and my weakness would have to be trying to get my picture in focus without blur. I would definitely try to take more pictures of people and capture more beauty.