This project pushed me to experiment with photography in a new way. I paired the theme “The Body” with the prop of a television in order to create a series that focused on the relationship between self-image and the media. In all of the images, the walls and backgrounds are darkened to imply a claustrophobic feeling between the subject matter and the model. In the first image, the model can be seen gazing into an implied reflection of herself into the TV. This is meant to invoke a feeling of introspection, as she is looking back at herself very closely. Her posture leans in, her head resting in her hand as if it were another person sitting across from her and they were having a conversation. In the second image, she is sitting on the dresser to the left and the TV acts as a mirror, looking through the screen and emphasizing her body behind it. It is reminiscent of an x-ray screening and nods to the vulnerability and exposition that the media promotes. The third image depicts the model looking distressed and screaming in the foreground, while the background is mainly the appearance of static displayed on the television screen. The energy in this image implies much more intense feelings, summarizing personal rage and frustration towards social media overall and tying together the theme.

Picture attached of my idea brainstorm

This photo was taken from a lookout at Sentinel Peak Park.

This image was taken on the intersection of 2nd St and Warren.

This is a view from in front of my sorority house near First St and Campbell.

The title of this typology series is “Introspection.” It highlights the many sides of a college student and what their day-to-day life might look like. It is named this because each photo is intended to have a personal tone that the viewer could relate to and force them to reflect on their own daily lives and how it compares. Each image has a visual dark cast that I wanted to use to emphasize the consistent person photographed in each image and the sensation of mystery. This lighting paired with the closeness of the shots are intended to evoke a personal and intimate feeling in relation to the model. The photos are intended to be viewed in a horizontal row, first being the image with the model holding the mug and his guitar. This image was meant to invoke a warm, comfortable feeling. The mug in this image could have anything in it, maybe a warm coffee or hot cocoa to sip on on a warm night, giving the viewer room to storybuild. The second image depicts a Coors Banquet can in focus beside a phone playing a U of A basketball game. The foreground, a hand raising a chicken tender upwards next to a to-go box of fries, is out of focus. This meal, typically viewed as classic comfort food, being eaten haphazardly in front of several screens with a beer is a typical college dinner for many. Image 3 is starkly different from the rest of the images due to its bright blue glow. A Celsius energy drink can be seen held in one hand, while the other studiously jots down notes from the face of the computer. The energy from this picture is meant to evoke the feeling of late-night studying. The rest of the room and the city are dark and quiet, yet things must still be completed before the last hours of the day. I intentionally placed this image between two that also had bits of blue in the composition in order to tie them together. The last two images exhibit first, the model preparing to light a cigarette from his mouth with one hand and a bottle of Heineken beer in the other. The other image closes in on a second person using a pot to cook on the stove while the subject model wraps his arms around from behind and a wine glass can be seen in hand. The cigarette was, in reality, a rolled up Chipotle napkin to convey the desired aesthetic. The Heineken bottle is the point of interest, yet the viewer's eyes are also drawn to the glow of the lighter, creating an experience in which the image can be appreciated both in entirety and in its details. The final image was not as well-lit as it could have been, but the framing of the image was successful. The wine glass is intended to be the point of interest, placed in a cross-section of the “rule of thirds” ideology. This image introduces another figure to the scene and, thus, the importance of the interaction to the subject. The wine glass invokes more romantic emotions and matches the scene displayed. Overall, this series followed beverages that correspond to seemingly insignificant events in a college student’s life that, together, create both a culture and habitual cycle.

My second project idea was to photograph a series of different drinks/cups/cans/bottles while people are holding them. If I am to pick this subject I would most likely draw some type of similarity between the final images, such as 5 different drinks at the same type of function or same overarching theme. I think that this composition draws attention to social and interpersonal interactions, along with the conclusions that can be drawn from a person based on things like their drink of choice, the way their fingernails are painted, or what rings they're wearing. As opposed to my sample image, my final images would be more intentional with exhibiting these traits.

For my first project idea, I decided to potentially photograph garbage bins. I think that this would be an interesting composition to feature the condition and location of how different bins are left. They are crucially used by every homeowner, yet is an object that is often cast aside, maybe even getting in the way when not being used for its sole purpose. This purpose is to provide a designation for our trash until it reaches the landfill, yet bins themselves can be commonly seen in poor condition or even surrounded by garbage on the ground. Photographing garbage bins would be an interesting compilation drawing attention towards an everyday object with a strong purpose.