About the Project
Duration: November 2017 - January 2018
Tools used: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom
Team Members: Sherry Wu (Me)
My Role:
As this was an individual assignment, I had to take all of the photographs, edit them, write artist statements, as well as putting together the final product.
Overview
A portfolio made for my final AWQ3M summative.
• Apply the creative process to create a variety of art works, individually and/or collaboratively
• Use various strategies, individually and/or collaboratively, to generate, explore, and elaborate on ideas and to develop and revise detailed plans for the creation of art works that address a variety of creative challenges
• Demonstrate an understanding of how art works reflect the society in which they were created, and of how they can affect both social and personal values
Problem
I wanted to make something special with this project. Throughout the course of the term, I realized that I took a liking towards taking photographs with sources of direct light, particularly light drawings. The goal of the assignment was to have a particular theme that connected all of the photos together. After looking through my past works, I knew i wanted to have light as my guide.
Thus, I needed to find a way to incorporate a source of direct light into all of the photographs that were to be in my portfolio.
Light Drawings / Paintings
Long shutter speeds with a small aperture so that the shutter can be open for long periods of time, capturing the movement of light (either the light source itself, or by moving the camera itself).
Solution
There were a couple of photographs that I wanted to use, but did not originally contain a direct source of light. I found ways to be creative to implement a (subtle, or not so subtle) light drawing into it, while still maintaining the idea of the original photograph.
Just let the light guide you...
Between the Lights
You have to read between the lines. What do you see?
Nothing? Darkness? Pitch black? Maybe. But isn't that what makes the streaks of light so prominent?
Where there is darkness, there is light.
Darkness cannot exist without light. Light cannot exist without darkness.
Dancing Thoughts
The average person has about 50,000-80,000 thoughts per day. That's 2,100-3,300 thoughts per hour. 35-48 thoughts per minute. You may not be aware of this endless thinking. The mind is like a little hummingbird, going flower to flower. It doesn't sit still.
Some may be positive. others may be negative. Negative thoughts can cause stress, anxiety, worry. Would it not be easier just to think less? Have less thoughts? Just hold on to those positive ones. If you did not let your thoughts bother you, think about all the time you could save. You could have so much more inner peace, happiness, calmness, and enjoy all the little things in life.
But, alas, we cannot control our thoughts.
I Spy
Ever feel as though someone is watching you? Maybe, someone is watching your every single move. Perhaps we are just living in a realm of virtual reality. Maybe, not.
Maybe, you are the watcher. Watching each day go by. Watching everything and everyone around you change. And, in the blink of an eye, the things you once knew are never going to be the same. Maybe, it's for the better. Maybe, it's for the worse. But, no matter. You will adapt to all the challenges and look past them soon enough. Things may become unclear, and you could find yourself surrounded by darkness. Some things may cloud your vision of what is right or wrong. In the end, you will figure it out. You always have.
Perfectly Imperfect
Nothing is perfect. But, how you see things, is everything. Your perspective on life itself. Each card has its place. Each card has a reason. The queen is in the heart of it all. But, if you try to take the queen out of its place, the others will be able to support it. It will not come crumbling down. On the other hand, you take too many cards away, it will come crashing down. Some may get hurt in the process of changing everything for the better. Everything needs to adapt to the constant changing environments in order to survive. Those who do not, become a distant memory of the past. Those who do not survive, help the others have a better chance at survival, learning from their mistakes.
The cards all have their individual purposes to support one another.
We all have a purpose. What is yours?
Escape
es • cape
/a'skap/
verb
break free from confinement or control.
Escape from reality. Escape from the stress and pain that is the present. Escape through blasting music until you are no longer in the present. Escape through the magic of Harry Potter and casting spells on muggles. Escape through the happy endings in a Disney fantasy. Escape through the laughter and childhood of Calvin and Hobbes. Hiding away under a blanket that you've had since forever. The comfort and protection it provides, shading you from the dangers of the world. Even it is just for a brief moment that escape from reality is successful...
It would be worth it to return to a moment of childhood and relaxation. Away from all of the worry and tension that is there in the present. But, be not mistaken. The present is a gift that is not to be taken for granted. Living in the past and trying to see into the future will get you lost in time, and lost from all of the good things that are here, in the now.
Confliction
Who are you? Not the different masks you put on for school, for work, for your friends, for the person you like, but who are you? Everyone else's thoughts and opinions of you, do they affect you? Do you try to act cool? Act differently? Act like a saint? Act like an angel? Act like the devil? Act like the child you once were and didn't care about what the rest of the world thought? So naive and untainted by the truth of reality.
It's good to be flexible in the way that you are. But, don't forget who you really are. You may just be you, but that is a beautiful thing.
Attempt
at-tempt
/a 'tem(p)t/
noun
an act of trying to achieve something, typically one that is unsuccessful or not certain to succeed.
In attempt to create a masterpiece, challenges will arise. Bridges will burn. Ashes will fall. Paper will be crumpled. Mothers and children will cry.
But, are you going to let that stop you? You've already come so far. It'd be a shame if you were to stop now. Maybe, if you keep going with this, you will succeed. It's all up to you. You have what it takes.
Are you willing to face anything?
Just know, you don't have to go at it alone. Don't be afraid to reach out for help. There is always someone willing to help you. There is always someone that believes in you. Even if you don't.
Last Breath
To breathe, oxygen is needed. When there is no more oxygen, there is no more flame. All that is left is nothing. The last of warmth, survival, the beauty of life itself, is gone. We all have an expiration date. Some sooner than others. Maybe it is better that way. Look at all the destruction and devastation it caused. And, for what? Everything goes out in the end.
But, look. Look at how captivating the light is. And, where there is none. They are all different. Life has shaped them in different ways. Each one with their own uniqueness and individuality.
All together, creating something so elegant and aesthetically pleasing.
Long Way From Home
It may seem like a long distance before home is reached, and maybe it is. But, have faith that you will get back. You can get through all the challenges and you can find your way through even the darkest of nights. There is always light inside and all around you. It may be hard to see through all the darkness sometimes, but it is there.
If you are willing to look for it, you will find it. If you are willing to endure the long, winding road of uneasiness, you may find that what you wanted, where you felt most comfortable, was right there all along. You just had to look deep enough. If you ever get lost, just remember: follow the light.
"Sherry! I liked this -- a lot."
-Ms D'Alessandro, Teacher of the class
Key Takeaways
Although this particular assignment may have been from a few years ago, it is still one of my favourite photography projects I have worked on to date. Here a few takeaways from the project:
• More often than not, you have to take hundreds of photos to get one
• Don't be afraid to try new things
• Look at everything from a different perspective
When creating these photos, it was never only one shot and done. There was always multiple. Some looked better than others, and one stood out from the rest after inspecting them all in more detail.
There were some shots where I went in and knew exactly what I wanted to capture. However, it did not always look as I envisioned. There were times when I experimented with different angles, focal lengths, shutter speeds, etc. And from that, came some of my best shots. You never know what you're going to get if you don't try.
