Brain Fitness Debrief #11

I recall bringing in some artist's photobook to class one day to look at with him, and when I pulled it out and started pointing out aspects of the photos I thought were cool or interesting, he remarked, "But you've already looked at it. The only reason you're pulling this out is to go over it with me but you already know about it." I didn't really understand what he meant by this, but then I explained to him that it was actually my first time looking at these photos, sharing this experience with him. He seemed surprised that I didn't have anything planned out for what I was going to say or what I wanted him to think about, but instead was simply sharing an experience with him. He was more appreciative and attentive after this. This event really demonstrated how sometimes people with handicaps tend to see themselves as subjects rather than peers, where people working with them see them as students to go over material with rather than friends to share experiences with. Treating S as a friend meant a lot to me and represented how everyone deserves to be treated equally, no matter their handicap or mental capabilities. I brought up this very instance in a couple conversations with friends afterwards and pointed out how much it touched my heart to know that showing this person he really mattered, and his presence and friendship was valued. Every person I told agreed that it really made them realize how much a little hand of help, in the form of community engagement, can make a huge difference in someone's self-esteem and life in general.

Brain Fitness Debrief #9

Again, as my partner is not proficient in grasping this kind of conversation, so we focused more on basic conversation today. I wanted to get a quote that would sum up the book, one that I could put at the end, or at the beginning. To achieve this, I posed big questions to him, centered around his theories about life or big lessons he has learned over the years. At one point, he proclaimed "I'm a happy man." I then asked him: "What makes you happiest?" he replied with "My wife." This just proves that my focus for the second half of the book (his family, and sharing experiences with people he loves) was on point, affirming that I have the right idea about where this book is going. S is a very family-oriented man and the love he has for his wife is inspiring and the main focus in his life, so I was happy to hear that this will in fact be a part of the book that will really resonate with him. We then asked him to give us some advice about life. He told us to "Think about the world around you," and exclaimed that "We are not perfect people, but we do as best we can." This theme exemplifies his personality and these ideas have come up when discussing other facets of his life, such as his career, where he worked with people and travelled the world teaching others how to better do their job. Again, I was happy to hear that a section of this book will also support his ideals. All in all I am confident that what I have thrown together, he will be very happy with. 

Brain Fitness Debrief #8

The only time that the topic of the future has risen in conversation with S was regarding Alaska, a place that he previously visited, truly grew passionate about, and now wants to return to. I asked him what was holding him back from going again, and he replied with "Well I don't know... I'm just not there yet!" In this way, I have recognized an emphasis on the present moment from S's point of view. His personal fight with dementia seems to be a struggle with grasping long-term events. Recalling moments from the deep past or deep future is generally out of reach from his mind, where planning for the future seems to be his weakest area. The strongest conversations we have held have revolved around the present moment, where the most time spent thinking and slip up in speech have occurred when recalling something. Every single time I have asked him about something regarding the future, he is completely unable to form an opinion about it. It's funny because now that I think about the things we have discussed when looking at most of his photos, are the funny elements of the photo itself, not necessarily a story or background behind the image. In this way, we have been taking past moments, and still operated in the realm of the present moment, by focusing on what we are seeing, right then, not necessarily the cultural or historical significance of it. This has not ALWAYS been the case, and there are definitely times where he draws on past ideas and events, but for the most part, he is very in the moment. This then encourages and exemplifies the importance of considering how I am taking photos of these photos, and their formal elements as being something he will surely notice. 

Brain Fitness #7

I didn't necessarily discuss these concepts with my partner as he is not able to grasp complex ideas, however I definitely noticed his tendency to engage in these activities nonetheless. While I'm not entirely sure that this falls under the realm of punctum reaction, I noticed that one particular detail stood out to S when he was looking at photos of his father with a young lady. In earlier photos of this lady where she was alone in the photo, S recalled the woman as being his own sister. However, in a later photograph where she was presented alongside his father and they appeared to be about the same age, it became clear that she couldn't have been S's sister, but instead appeared to be his father's sister (his aunt). This one particular detail informed S of the reality of the situation and his relationship to her, and he depended on it for his own understanding. As my project will revolve around family and home life, I am really hoping to represent his relationships to others correctly (i.e. describe this woman as his AUNT, not his sister). In other words, I want the concepts I present in the photobook to align with reality and not confuse him further, but rather work to inform his memory in a correct way. Therefore, I think that I will have to pay attention (and guide his attention) towards little details like this in the photos we look at, in order to get a real sense for what is true, versus what he perceives to be true. 

Blurb Photobook Design Response

An aspect of this book-making process that I had not previously considered was the use of typography as a decorative element, where in this article, the author points out that the font you use throughout the book may determine the tone of the work. Again, the main focus here is on the telling of a story, a sequence of images that flows together in a way that has purpose and meaning, and is highly curated in the sense that all together, the images convey a particular message. In doing so, the design elements of the book itself may determine how the reader interprets the work. For what I have in mind so far for my own project, I believe I will use a more classical sort of font for the title and captions, as the story I will include revolves around the home life; the central part of any average citizen’s life. From childhood, to attending school, enlisting in the National Guard, locking in a career, getting married and then having his own kids, these events align with the idea of the average // classic life experience. Another part of this article that caught my attention was the mentioning of other artistic media that may be included besides images and text. It may be wise to utilize other artistic techniques in the book as well, where I could make it a multi-media project and include drawings, newspaper clippings, painting, etc. to give the book a new dimension, providing further context to the story // time period in which it the images took place. All in all, my member will benefit most from simple meanings and the conveying of clear concepts, so its important to keep this simplicity in mind when bouncing around design ideas for my photobook. One point I would like to discuss further with the class is: how could the background color on a photobook’s pages play a role in determining the emotion that it evokes from the reader? How might color be used to an artist’s benefit, and how could it possibly hinder the artist’s intent if not used wisely?

Camera Lucida Response

The concepts presented in this article really resonated with me. The author demonstrates two distinct realms of reaction to a photograph that a viewer might experience; studium and punctum. In the realm of studium, the viewer may identify the photographer’s techniques used in creating the photograph, the general messages and meanings that the photographer is attempting to convey, the cultural aspects which are represented in the image, and other related “surface details.” These reactions do not hold much personal significance and do not evoke strong feelings, but rather serve as mere observations. On the other hand, in the realm of the punctum, the viewer may notice specific details of the image that the photographer did not necessarily intend to make stand out. This reaction is entirely subject to the viewer; one certain element may draw the viewer’s attention away from any other studium-based meaning, evoking intense feelings or emotions, and standing as the one thing that the viewer can remember about the photograph when no longer looking at it.

               These ideas really opened my eyes to the fact that, no matter how hard photographers try to embody certain ideas and convey specific messages to an audience, every person may react in a way that is entirely unique to them, a way that is completely out of the photographer’s control. Little details that are sometimes overlooked may have the possibility to encapsulate another viewer, to the point that the entire meaning of the image is lost and the viewer’s own reaction and the creation of their own  ideas trumps everything else. As previously stated, this makes me understand that there are some situations that are just out of the control of the photographer, and some little details included in the photograph that are simply natural to the scene, where if they were eliminated, the photo would be more curated and less authentic. What I would be interested to discuss with the class is whether or not these concepts even make a difference; if we cannot necessarily control the natural aspects of the photo that may draw the viewer’s unique attention away from the meaning, then why even take it into consideration, as the author of this article did?

Photobook Research #2

The photos included in this book are related formally as well as conceptually, it seems, as the style of each photo remains the same. I find these photos very interesting, as they take images from different sources and cut them together to create an entirely new meaning. These photomontages are representative of the Nazi movement, as the entire book seems to revolve around the folly of it all, revealing the curated nature of this genocide and depicting Nazi leaders and soldiers as the cowards that they truly are. In this way, the book is entirely political and anti-war in nature, with an aim to evoke feelings of disgust and disapproval of the Nazi  movement from the viewer. Since these photomontages were distributed during World War II, it is clear that this work was used to encourage social protest among the everyday citizen. As stated previously, the primary design element of the book is cropping images of Hitler and other Nazi leaders onto other photos, drawing around them, and creating new captions for these photos to give them new meanings. 

            The book begins with a montage of Hitler’s face cropped onto the body of a butcher, holding knives up at the ready to kill a hen standing on the table in front of him. The caption of this photo is “Now don’t be scared- he’s a vegetarian,” which represents the concept of Hitler smirkingly posing as the innocent in the situation. Moving through the book, the reader then comes across a photo of a seemingly ravenous hyena bearing his teeth with piles of dead bodies scattered around it, while wearing a top hat and an emblem hanging from it’s neck; the caption is “War and corpses- the last hope of the rich,” exemplifying the way in which these well-off Nazi leaders grasped for any source of power they could manage, relying on their control over others to determine their social status. Another montage shows a very small Hitler watering a large plant, with Nazi helmets and gas masks replacing the plant’s acorns. I interpreted this to demonstrate the way in which Hitler tended to his plan so carefully, visiting each city during his running in the election, curating each speech to target the audience in a way that would make them want to support him and truly believe his motives were meant for good, making the Nazi circle bigger through the fakest of means.

            There is no linear relationship between the photographs, as each one stands independently within the book. Conceptually, all photographs work together to present the truly devastating and pathetic nature of the Nazi regime, however each photograph emulates this in a different way. Each photograph takes up a full page, making its illustrations stand out in full detail while commanding the attention of the viewer, conveying the idea that its messages displayed are truly significant. While use of the montage is highly effective in this instance to embody certain concepts, and while I may utilize this strategy in personal projects in the class, I don’t think I would use it in the photobook assignment for my partner at Brain Fitness due to the fact that he has a hard time grasping abstract representations, concepts and ideas. 

Assignment #3

After sifting through the images of interest that I collected, I noticed the trend of couples in a lot of these images. As someone who thrives off of social interaction and love, I decided to make the topic of relationships the basis of my project. Lately I have come to realize that every individual contributes something unique to a relationship; no two people will ever be the exact same, and it is this understanding and acceptance of people’s differences that allows love to flourish. I wanted to represent this in the images I created, so I took photos purely of nature and natural settings, and used these to depict the personality of each person. For example, in the third image, opposing elements (fire and water) stand in stark contrast to the image of the couple in the middle. While these earthly elements are polar opposites, the harmony of the earth revolves around the presence of both of these elements. This illustrates the way in which people can be completely different, opposite even, though still find harmony when they find balance between them. In the second image, I cut off the bodies of both individuals with images of nature, exemplifying the way in which each person’s unique qualities is an inescapable part of them, one that defines their identity. The first image is-I believe-the most effective in conveying these ideas; the woman, a spectacle of emotion and striking display (the vastness of arctic mountains), is calmed by the relaxed, tranquil personality of the man (the woods), balancing each other out like the yin and yang.

Brain Fitness #6

As my partner does not have that level of cognitive understanding that it would take to discuss such a topic, we were not able to get to it. However, looking through his photographs, I definitely got a feel for cultural memory, as it included photos of S serving in the National Guard during his youth, and another of him and his wife standing in front of an old station wagon during the 60's. It brought me back to a time that I felt was so rigid, in terms of one's life path. Making a living, getting married, and starting a family young was considered the one path to follow in these days (at least this is how it seemed to me, upon looking through these images and relating them to other historic photos I've seen from these days as well. I immediately compared that to life nowadays, and felt like we have so much opportunity to pursue our own unique path how we want to. However, it's possible that my interpretation of their life is not how they see it; whenever I spoke with him about these times, he said "it's been a wonderful life," and he wouldn't change a minute of it. So, even if that's actually how it was, to an observer looking in, it will never truly add up to be the same. 

Cultural // Collective Memory Response

I was struck most by the idea that the way in which Edward Curtis historically photographed Native Americans could be considered destructive to their image within society. Curtis was known to include photos of these individuals hunting, or banishing another tribe, and so on. In this way, it is believed that this gave Native American communities a negative reputation, as how most people learned about them and the images they were exposed to, seemed brutish and savage. It is funny to think about how easily we attribute images we see depicting people or events within certain feelings and notions, and jump to judge them this way. Oftentimes, when these images are historic and we did not have access to the time in which it took place, we learn directly from what we see. I had never really thought about that before... how easily we create foundations of understanding solely through images sometimes; however, in relation to the "Migrant Mother" photo we saw in class the other day, it is true that the message that image conveys so embodies how I believe the Great Depression would have been. What's even more interesting is that the woman in the photograph ended up disliking the way she was portrayed, feeling as if there was much more depth to her situation than that, which draws a parallel to the diverse Native American community.

Ethics and Issues Response

In reading Chonko's "Ethical Theories," it is evident that there is a primary focus on protecting the welfare of the everyday citizen, and pursuing actions that are fair, just, and good. Questioning whether something is fair or good involves considering whether the action infringes upon their rights, and whether something causes the least amount of harm possible. When applied to the ideas presented in the "Appropriation and Attribution" piece, ethical reasoning comes most into play where a person's property is concerned, even when it is intellectual. This piece calls on the reader to pay attention to how they go about utilizing and borrowing artwork, musical tracks, ideas, and so on. The author encourages considering the work that the original artist has put in to create their own original work, and having the duty to reference this artist's work if influenced by it in the reader's own work. To utilize the work in a way that would allow the original artist his greatest rights, and do him the least amount of harm / do what is fair and just and good, the reader has the duty of giving credit where credit is due, and viewing this use from an ethical standpoint. As argued in "Digital Appropriation as Photographic Practice and Theory," we live in a world where we are surrounded by millions of images through the Internet, and in this way, are constantly influenced by the work of others. With this in mind, it is most ethical to learn from the technical strategies of how the image is taken (i.e. framing, depth of field) and employ these strategies in the creation of your own, original imagery, rather than copying the artist's meaning and visual display and claiming these ideas as one's own. What I am wondering is: what if a person learns from the visual techniques of a certain artist, and later creates their own line of artwork employing similar techniques. Should the original artist still be actively cited and referenced? Wouldn't the person have to reference this artist for the rest of their life, as they gained intellectual knowledge from their work that they may use in all of their own original works?

Brain Fitness #5

Looking through the images obtained so far, S was mostly very happy with how they were turning out. He agrees with my approach to the books, in the sense that one will be focusing on family and home life, while the other will be incorporating nature as a focus. The main concern we have about the images I have taken are that there isn't much diversity to how they can be taken; most of these images simply include S holding up his photos, or the photos laid out on the table, since he hasn't brought in any objects besides photos to show me. I have tried to be unique in my approach, in the sense of including pictures of his class ring holding up the image of his graduation, for example. I have tuned my attention towards trying different angles and depths of field and framing techniques as a further attempt to diversify these images. But he mentioned that the subject matter-the images he brings in-seems to be the only thing that will be included, so why not just bring in the images themselves? If he doesn't begin to bring in other objects to refer to and photograph during our sessions, then I really think I will have to search the web for creative images to include besides the ones I have been collecting, as a means of making the book more captivating, and draw connections between his own images and the outside world. 

Photobook Research Assignment 1

http://www.selfpublishbehappy.com/2017/02/ordinary-magazine-issue-3/

Throughout my research, the one photobook that stuck out to me the most was one called “Extra-Ordinary.” The cover itself is bland; plain blue with a pocketful of Q-tips, and the plainest type. It sets up emphasis on the Q-tip, a theme which is carried out throughout the entire photobook. The Q-tip as an object is rarely considered a vital necessity in everyday life; rarely praised as contributing something special to society. While the cover conveys how “ordinary” these objects are typically viewed as, the remainder of the book utilizes a unique approach to demonstrate that the Q-tip can be used in a multitude of ways that extend beyond the “ordinary.” Although every image is distinct and stands separately from the others, the general message (when the photobook is considered as a whole) remains.

The size of these photos span the entirety of the book’s pages, filling up the space completely. From the get-go, this makes the content of the images seem much larger, representing the idea that Q-tips can have a larger and more significant role in life than it appears from the outside; All of these images are more complex than the book’s exterior. The artist used the symmetry of the book’s pages to their benefit, making the images symmetrical from the left and the right side in some cases. As in the photo of the couch, this symbolizes balance between the left and right portions of the images, as well as the vertical stability and balance achieved by the Q-tips holding the couch cushions up. The third image is more abstract in its formal qualities; there is an equal and opposite symmetry of the Q-tips, differing from the first photo, zoomed in close with greater detail of the Q-tip defined. There is some sort of colored liquid surrounding the Q-tips. As this imagery stands out by itself in contrast with the plain white background, these images are much more abstract in nature, suggesting the beauty in the detail that is commonly not seen with the naked eye. Balance is again demonstrated in image 4, 5, 6, and 8, where the Q-tip goes from holding up a book cover/cup of milk, to a more complex structure of the Eiffel Tower, to an even more complex and abstract structure, back to another simple and symmetrical cube structure. The last image ends the book with a lone Q-tip floating by itself in the air, against a very blurred background of city buildings and clear sky. The switching from complex and detailed imagery back to aesthetically simple imagery further conveys the idea that there is substance in detail, that something considered ordinary within society can actually offer a substantial and complex purpose. I am especially intrigued by the 8^th image, however, which seems to be digitized rather than an actual photograph. This offers a stark elemental contrast to the other images, as it allowed much greater detail to be included, as well as random and seemingly unrelated objects (an ear, clouds, random red circles) to be included in the midst of the Q-tip structure. It also allows there to be much more depth to the image, as the viewer is able to see the Q-tips from many different angles all at once. More importantly, the structure sits on top of a street, emphasizing the idea that it is everyday things that offer the greatest complexity; that we may find this complexity surrounding us on a daily basis.

It is obvious that the artist carefully considers the layout of the photograph, in regards to what is included in the left and right pages, drawing the eye to different corners, putting emphasis on a certain object, offering balance and symmetry, and so on. Another useful technique the artist employed is the use of plain colored backgrounds, with objects standing in stark contrast to these backgrounds. This technique can be used to emphasize the importance of the image by directly drawing the eye to the focus.

'Editing' Reading Response

It is worth mentioning that, involved in the process of conceptualizing and relaying a message through artwork, is a certain amount of primary and secondary questioning. For example, when someone is first shooting the image, it is important to consider what elements of the photo are clearly conveying these concepts, and change these according to their efficiency of symbolizing the right ideas. This serves as the primary questioning; going through the images you have obtained and cutting them down from there involves a secondary line of questioning. The suggested method in the reading was to print out a proof sheet, or a collection of your images laid out on a piece of paper. The author emphasizes that properly judging an image based on what is shown on a computer monitor is almost impossible, as the backlit glow can interfere with the true pigments of the images. Laying out the images side by side will then allow the photographer to edit the images down to a select few that they believe are most representative of their concepts. It is important to then consider the images as a comprehensive story; if the project involves a set of images, consider how these images work together to create a sequential narrative. Art is a form of storytelling, after all, and it vital (in most cases) to present photographs in a way that the viewer will perceive the concepts as you were aiming to demonstrate them. 

Brain Fitness Debrief #4

We have decided that one of S's books will be dedicated to the outdoors; it seems that he has many good memories to recall of playing outside with his siblings and pursuing hobbies, as well as going camping and travelling. This works out well because he has brought in a few photographs pertaining to this topic, and I have received a lot of good bullet points and things to say regarding these images. In addition, I have my own collection of nature photography that I've taken over the years, so I am excited to include these as well. I am planning on making his second photobook about his wife and his marriage, or maybe just general "home life." I have been using a set of bullet points to refer back to as references, and one of these key points is their marriage, which always causes him to recall where they met, when they moved in together, had children, and settled down as a family. I will continue adding to these references points as we go, but will definitely refer back to the ones that get him talking and thinking about the world at large.

Brain Fitness Debrief #3

A new focus of conversation this week included S's love for the outdoors, and being in nature. This was brought about by looking at a picture of him and his siblings playing outside as young children; this went along perfectly with the object I brought in, a transcendental book about nature and spirituality. He recalled memories of going camping, along with hobbies and sports that brought him outside throughout his youth (mainly basketball). As the main focus of last week was his marriage, it is evident that we tapped into another source of passion for him. The conversation seemed to flow a lot easier in this realm of thinking because I am an environmental studies major, and had many stories of travelling abroad to Australia to share with him. This then led him into speaking of his own time spent abroad in Europe, and so on. I think I am going to make the theme of one of his memory books "the outdoors", as this topic seemed to really inspire him. While I have been taking separate notes on  his stories and then categorizing them under common, main themes, I have also been taking photos of his photos and objects in front of his own written talking points, to visually remind me of the topic of conversation at the time. I think that next week I am going to have to focus more on writing phrases and putting them in the background of each image I take, because this is more organic to the true flow of the conversation and will embody each conversation more precisely, while not completely distracting from the other focal points of the image.

Brain Fitness Debrief #2

A significant amount of time was spent looking through photos of S and his wife, with these seeming to be the most significant source of comfortability and happiness in his life. In recalling his wedding and specific memories of how they met and became acquainted, it led down this path of recalling other aspects of his life that were occurring at the time; for example, his attendance to the University of Florida, which then led to his occupation after having graduated, travelling to Europe for this job, and finally having children. This thread of thinking was especially interesting to me because, while starting from other points of discussion, he would lose his train of thought or momentum; though when beginning the conversation with mentioning his wife, he adopted a more expansive perspective on his life and was able to recall much more. Consequently, I believe that marriage, which takes on a very personal role in one's life, has proven to be the most effective source of recollection. Therefore I don't believe that finding outside sources or unfamiliar events would prove to be successful. While pictures relating to marriage in general, even if it isn’t him, might surface memories of his own experience with marriage, I believe it would focus the conversation too intently on that particular topic, rather than a thread of personal connections. 

"Seeing Photographs" Response

The ideas presented in this Powerpoint demonstrated an interesting way of considering how to effectively convey a message or embody a concept. More specifically, I have always mainly considered the scene which I am photographing to represent an idea; however, the Powerpoint points out that this is not always the biggest consideration, where cropping and framing can also represent elements of an idea in themselves. For instance, cropping the image awkwardly could, in itself, represent awkwardity. What I found to be most valuable about this presentation was the way it showed how symbolic framing choices could really be, and how its not always the presence of certain things happening in the photo itself that captures an abstract idea.

"The Photographer's Eye" // 'Why We Make Pictures' Response 1/29

Something worth noting is the way in which the idea of "art" changed in regards to the rise of photography. There was no longer an emphasis on the "creation" of the work, no built up process to signify and emulate specific ideas so much as capturing the current state of affairs as they appeared in that moment. One of the key aspects of this was the opening of artistic endeavors to the everyday bystander; anyone had the ability to capture moments of their lives, without needing to have any artistic background to do so. In this, art had developed an entirely new dimension, where people were challenged not with formulating the creative ideas and finding a way to transpose them, but with considering the everyday scenery and finding the meaning in things that surround us in daily life.

I believe that this actually provided one of the most influential gateways in artistic history, in the sense that it forced people to consider how variable the everyday lives of different individuals can be. Combined with the fact that any random person from any background could pursue photography, viewers had insight to the unique conditions of someone other than them. Relating also to the ideas portrayed in 'Why We Make Pictures', there is an added opportunity for the viewer to interpret these images in their own unique way, and compare these portrayals to their own life. Evidently, there is significant creative potential in the photography realm. I wonder if this facet of art began a new perspective on life, encouraging people to realize the beauty and creative potential in everyday things, focusing more on the present moment than the thinking encouraged by other areas of art?

Photography and Memory Response 1/26/17

Reflecting on this reading, I am drawn to the idea of the significance of a memory, and how that can be represented through a photograph. The author mentions that in taking a photograph, the person decides whether or not this moment is considered significant and worth remembering in the future. I think this is an especially interesting way to think about it, in the sense that it gives the viewer a look into what this person values and considers to be important. Looking over the photos passed around in class today, it became clear that everyone's perspective and perception of life is so different; what I would personally consider to be important does not always hold true in the lives of other people. Also, since photos allow us to transport back to past times, they have similarly allowed us to consider the dynamism of the values of humans over time.

Throughout the article the author resurfaces this idea of photographs being "something to hold on to" that exists outside of our minds, or something that is symbolic and represents something else. I agree with this statement, however from a personal standpoint, I do not prefer to depend on photographs to construct my interpretation of reality, and solidify the past in my mind. While looking back on things to jog my memory and remind me of events that I forgot had happened can be entirely effective, I am growing more fond of letting memories within my mind speak for themselves, and not having an attachment to a physical object to do so. Therefore I pose the question; Do you think society has come to favor objects, such as photographs, as the primary way of coercing someone to reflect on life events? How might this differ from previous times where photography was not around?

Mini Photobook Statement

Why are these images important?  How/why does this grouping help to tell the viewer who you are?

After watching my mind constantly run in loops for almost four years now, I feel like I'm finally looking at these destructive tendencies from the outside, in. It is not unusual for me to pick up on the negativity that surrounds me in daily life; my inner state is usually a mere reflection of how the outside world touches me. Because of this, I begin to reflect on myself in negative ways, questioning my own motives, capabilities, and significance as an individual. I notice that there are often negative feelings inside of me, and I start to believe that I'm not as pure and beautiful as I'd hope to be. Every time my thoughts move towards negativity or I don't feel emotionally optimistic and upbeat, I get angry and frustrated towards myself and feel as though there is something fundamentally wrong with me. I search for happiness in other people and outer situations, thinking that this will solve these issues, but the relief never stays and it feels like I'm drowning, without a voice (or a purpose). So I cut myself off from everything for a while, sit in one spot and focus on nothing at all, letting thoughts go as soon as they pop into my mind; I calm myself, realigning myself with inner peace and stillness. It is here where I feel the most expansive, the most free, with infinite potentiality. I separate myself from my identity, my rigid human form, and most importantly, my mind. And subtly, without noticing or reflecting on a specific moment in which it actually happens, I feel how big the universe actually is, and how breaking this expanse down into worries and trivial concerns only separates me from the place of pure potential and peace. Everything is going to be okay, I just have to allow it.


One may read the above statement while looking at my photobook, and notice the metaphors that each of these photos hold. While broken up into separate pages (or moments), when I find my inner stillness there is no separation anymore, no definitive answer to anything, no conception of time or right and wrong. Therefore, the lessons at the end fill my existence up all at once and I feel full with peace and optimism, and like before, infinite potentiality. I would hope that this photobook allows someone to reflect on a human's tendency to move towards instability, face it, and see how they have the power to turn the process around by relaxing and feeling their existence from the inside.