Photojournalism IS

I have been interested in photography for a long time. I like the way that pictures seem to capture a moment that can never be recreated that same way again. I like the way that photographs are able to play with perspective and lighting. During this independent study, I learned how to shoot in manual mode. I learned a lot about aperture, ISO, and shutter speed and how these components play a big role in taking a picture. During this IS, I also practiced shooting with perspective. My goal was to learn different photography techniques, and use those techniques to create a portfolio of pictures that depict the current climate that our world lives in. I do not think that I have met this goal. I believe that I still have a lot to learn and work on. The pictures I collected for my portfolio are things that are important to me or that I enjoy. I will definitely be continuing my photography journey throughout high school. I want to practice my photography skills around my neighborhood and when I am out with my family. I plan on carrying my camera with me when I go on walks around my neighborhood. I hope to continue to document and post my photographs throughout high school.

Artist Statement:

Photography is a way for me to capture memories. With pictures, I am able to hold on and remember these moments forever. When I share these pictures with other people, they can understand how I view the world. My portfolio consists of a couple of different types of photos. I collected photos from my backyard, my family's trip away from the city, a field experience my class took. I collected pictures from the Grant Skate Park, my trip home on CTA, and during Halloween. The intention of these groups is to help organize when and where these pictures were taken. 

In this picture, I was trying to capture the reflection of my neighbor's house from my garage window. I took the picture from the side of the window. I was trying to add depth to the window frame. The look I was going for in this photo was very mysterious. When I look at this photo I am immediately drawn in. This picture was taken in my backyard.

In this picture, I was trying to capture my little brother. At this moment he was grabbing for the camera. The frame was focused on his face, so when he reached his hands close they turned out blurry. I think this picture comes across as very playful and loving. Even though we are still reminded of the pandemic since he is wearing a mask. This picture was taken during my family's vacation.

In this picture, I was trying to capture my friend skateboarding. I was specifically trying to capture the motion of his body and the skateboard, and how they both moved together. You can see other people in the background, along with trees and buildings, these things help to add depth.  This picture comes across as very energetic because there is a lot of movement happening. This picture was taken at Grant Skate Park.

In this picture, I was trying to capture my sister in her Halloween outfit. She was standing above me on the steps which allowed me to shoot from a lower angle. She had just lifted up her head when I took the picture, so her hair was still lying directly across her face.  There is some depth because of the stairs and the rest of the porch behind her. This picture is bold and captivating. This picture was taken during Halloween.