Myself

Fields of Sameness

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 160
• Shutter: 1/160 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was perhaps the first time I caught that twilight moment that was talked about in class. Ironically, I was in such a rush to capture that moment that I focused on the wrong object but I still feel that it embodies my self identity. I think  the biggest challenge of life is learning that it is ok to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Which while simple sounding, it is a lot harder to follow through. For a majority of my life I have tried to conform to what my peers liked but as I did that, I devalued myself but I’ve made progress since that time, this class including ( I could never imagine myself ever being in a creative class such as this) none the less very much enjoy it.

 

Which path to tread?

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 160
• Shutter: 1/160 s
• Lens: 18-55@43 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was a shot that I took while I was on the beach in Riverhead. This had some important significance to me as it was a spot in which I had hung out with friends often but it was also a spot marking the crossroads of my life. One idea I cannot get out of my head is whether the tracks represent how far I’ve come or how I tread along a path with such a unknown destination despite being able to see my immediate future.

This spot also had a significance to our town too. As I showed my brother the photos, he remarked that this was a location where a high school classmate of his took their own life. While it has been a couple of years since then, there was a sense of solemness of that spot that I hope I captured. But it also prompted Why they went to such a location. Was he facing a version of standing at his own crossroads? Unfortunately, no one will ever know.

Through his eyes

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was the toughest photo to find in the collection. I was trying to capture an appreciation of the legacy of Medicine has impacted the world and how I seek to be a part of that. This journey took me to the Longwood Medical Area where some of the words most renown Hospitals and Medical Schools are located. This particular statue was in front of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and depicted Dr. Sydney Farber, a pioneer in some of the first initial chemotherapy treatments and a advocate that spurred the War of Cancer.

Laris

Capturing the shadows

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@20 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Deep Thoughts

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 640
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@23 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Preparing

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 100
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@25 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: For the second part of the project I enlisted the help of my friend Laris who is an art student at Stony Brook. It was much easier to try to define him. Ever since I met him, he had always carried his sketchbook with him and would excitedly explain out color theory to anyone who would listen. And he also was a avid reader of philosophy and politically active which had us talking about the world for ages. I believe I managed to capture these elements in the photo collection below. What really added value to the photographs is where they were shot also. I wanted to shoot somewhere on campus where it was more convenient for both of us and utilizing the Wang center fit that profile and in addition  provided a lot of natural light to use in my photographs.

A Stranger

Environment clouded, Mind clear

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 250
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@34 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Unfinished

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 320
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@35 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: The third part of this project was the most difficult part in my development as a photographer. Given the assignment of photographing a stranger, the biggest barrier was finding a stranger that was comfortable with me photographing them. Luckily, I was in Boston for this past weekend and sought to adopt the “two bird one stone” mentality and explore the Harvard Yard. Hopefully, finding someone willing to be photographed. I especially wanted to find a professor (or someone who looked like one), figuring that they would be willing to be photographed for a class. Unfortunately, I got a decent amount of rejections but I was able to find one stranger who was sitting down and  drawing in a sketchbook. To my luck, he agreed to be photographed and I was able to get some good shots but I still felt there was a lot of “noise” in the background which hindered the viewer’s ability to focus on my subject but with the use of the Iris blur feature in Photoshop, I was able to naturally guide the viewer’s eye to focus on my stranger.