Self Portrait

I took photography because I was interested in taking pictures. During the course I learned different ways photographers take pictures and how they view the world differently from normal people. I also learned different methods of photoshopping pictures which was my favorite part of this course. Photography helped me learn different ways to express myself. In my opinion, the hardest project was the clones project because it was difficult to make the clones look smooth and not photoshopped, even though they clearly were. My favorite projects were the light writing and clones because of the results they produced; the pictures were just cool to look at. If I were to redo one of my pictures it would be the planet one. There was just so much to do in so little time that I was not able to get the highest quality product out of it.

In the first image, the person on the right represents how some people cannot let go of their past; one can identify that he is representing his past from the baby picture and stuffed animal that he clutches tightly, along with the fact that he is black and white. This person dwells on what is behind him, and does not live in the present. On the left side, the person holds a hammer in his hand to show how he is going to “break” apart from his past. He is going to break his ties with his past so he is able to have a future.

 On the other picture, the person in the middle is visibly stressed about exams since it appears he is studying. He is so anxious about his future that he forgets to live in the present. His future self on the right is represented by the clock indicating time and the professionalism of his character. He is blurred since no one knows what will happen in the future. The message of the picture is to stop living in the future and focus what is happening in the present.

For me, this shows how sometimes I can get stuck up on things that have happened to me and have difficulty overcoming them, no matter how trivial or significant. On the other hand, I am anxious about the future from all the pressure of preparing for finals, worrying about college, and what I am going to do with my life. For other people, I want to show how sometimes you just have to say, “Whatever,” and enjoy the present.

If I have any tips for future photography students it would be this: be creative. Photography is all about expressing yourself so do not be afraid to take photos or photoshop things how you want them to look. Have fun with it.