Still Life Self Portrait

Prompt #5: Still Life Self Portrait

SOOC Photograph

                                                                      ISO: 400
                                                                      Aperture: f/8
                                                                      Shutter speed: 1/40

                                                                        Edited Photograph

• How do these objects represent you today? 

I chose my rainbow portable UE speaker and my phone with headphones playing "Long Gone" by Juice WRLD because this is one of my favorite songs, and music is an extremely important aspect of who I am. I’ve always had a strong connection to music and started attending concerts frequently at a young age. I also spend several hours each week creating and curating playlists, finding new music, and reviving old songs on my Spotify account. I have gained many followers, and they often reach out to me thanking me for my inspirational work. Music has also played a key role in helping me get through my most difficult times by providing me comfort, inspiration, and a distraction from stress.

I included my white and gray blanket because this is my favorite blanket; I wear it all around my house and take it with me whenever I travel. I have been very attached to blankets since I was a toddler, even bringing small ones with me to school each day until I was six years old. Now, I just find blankets really comforting, and I always have at least one that is easy access. 

The book Turtles All the Way Down by John Green is about a seventeen-year-old girl with OCD and anxiety, two mental health issues I have struggled with my whole life. This book was very meaningful for me and helped shape the way I see the world. 

I included my Vans because I wear them almost every day. They are my go-to shoes and have been on many adventures with me, as have my favorite pair of sunglasses. This is also why I arranged my car keys and driver's license in the photo. I have made so many memories in my car, as it has taken me everywhere throughout high school.

A pencil and my laptop are in the image because school is a very key element of my life. I am extremely focused on academics and always have been, so I spend a lot of time doing work on my computer. Additionally, my Notre Dame community has shaped me significantly.

Finally, I put Polaroid pictures into my series of items because I love photography. Visiting picturesque places for my landscape photography projects and composing each element of the scene into the perfect photo allowed me to appreciate the beauty in nature. I have been able to use photography as an outlet for stress, as it creates a diversion from my hectic daily life, shows me how small my problems are in relation to the world, and makes me grateful for our planet. I have learned that looking at something from a different angle can reveal hidden greatness, and how we present things really has the power to influence others. I specifically chose those four Polaroid photos because they depict my two favorite spots in Kauai as well as my sisters and friends. 

• What is the best aspect/what do you like best about your image?

I like that my image includes so many different parts of me. I truly feel like this still-life self portrait captures who I am. I also like that the objects are not all aligned perfectly because, although I like things organized, my life can be really messy and complicated sometimes, and this portrays that well.

• List at least two compositional elements that you used and why.

I used "Fill the Frame" and "Bird's Eye View." I wanted to use an angle that could get all of my objects in it, and filling the entire frame accentuated the "busy" theme and made the image more aesthetically pleasing overall. 

• What lighting source did you choose and why? How does it affect the mood/meaning of the image?

Besides overhead light, I used a lamp from a side angle. The natural lighting was not very good because of the smoke and cloudy weather, but I was still able to achieve soft lighting artificially. This affects the mood by making it seem calmer (as opposed to harsh). If too much direct light was used, the shiny photographs, phone screen, plastic license, and sunglasses would have reflected the light in an unfavorable way. 

• What could you improve upon? 

I could probably improve the image by arranging the objects slightly better so there would be no gaps of white space at the bottom, the top, or the corners. 

• Ten years from now do you think you will choose the same objects? Why or why not?

I do not think I'd choose the same objects ten years from now. I will be driving a different car, wearing different sunglasses and shoes, and have a different license. Laptops of this style and headphones may not even be used ten years from now, so it is hard to say if I would include those. Overall, though, I think many of the ideas would be the same. I will most likely still have a favorite pair of shoes and sunglasses and will still be in love with music, photography, blankets, family, and friends. I will still be a hard worker, so whatever tools I'd need for that would probably be included.