People and Places

 Photographs have the amazing ability to capture expressions. There are subtle and often unnoticeable nuances that can only be seen in freeze frame. This can most notably be seen in candid portraits such as this one of Steve on the right and Jamie below. I captured this image of Steve as he was concentrating on his computer. He is biting his lower lip and pinching his eyebrows slightly, two things I have never noticed before. After examining this image, I realize that Steve actually makes this pose quite a bit and I just never realized it until it was captured in my camera. The image of Jamie below shows the same type of subtle expression you normally don't think to notice because it's such a common occurrence.

Taking pictures of spaces in winter is no easy task, especially when the weather is bad and the lighting is poor. I was along for a ride with my camera and was taking pictures out the window. The sun was going down and a snow storm was moving in. I took the picture below as we drove and I thought it captured how hectic it can be before a big snow storm. Everyone is always rushing to get food and supplies in anticipation of being snowed in for a day or two. The image below was taken the day after the snowstorm when the sun was up but it was bitterly cold. I thought the image captured the warmth and comfort of being inside after being out shoveling or sledding all day.

Point of View

Photography is a lot about different point of views. An object, person, or place can take on a completely different personality when the way you look at it is changed. Changing point of view can also show the full meaning behind and object and its relation of other object that are around it or interact with it. To demonstrate this I took an object that I used quite often, but also take for granted, the controller for my Wii. I enjoy a game of Goldeneye every now and again and I think the gold controller that came with the game is a very interesting looking object that deserved some attention that doesn't involved my sweaty palms.

Photographic Inspiration

The early morning sun in Hampi, a town in central India filled with
ancient Hindu temples and a rock strewn landscape.

What originally inspired me to capture photographs was a study abroad program I went on to India and the journey I took to Nepal. Some of the people and places I saw are just so incredibly beautiful, it would be a shame not to photograph them. Even though photographs can't possibly capture the full beauty of these places, they give a glimpse into this amazing area of the world and hopefully inspire others to discover it themselves. I realized this amazing power of photography when I was there and aimed to capture every possible scene that I could with my little point and shoot Canon. These few photographs are only a very small percentage of what I shot while abroad, but they are some of my favorites.

View of the Himalayas from Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal.

Trains are the best way to travel in India. This was shot while traveling in the early dawn on the way to the seaside town of Colva.

An old man begging at a tourist attraction in Mysore. Scenes like this make you painfully aware of India's widespread poverty.

Obsessions

There is nothing I can think that is more enslaving than music. Nearly every civilization has created music of some form, whether it be for ritualistic purposes, storytelling, or pleasure. People regularly become obsessed with new hot songs or artists, and those who make music become obsessed with the process of creating and improving it. You can always improve at playing an instrument, whether it's guitar or trombone. That's why it's so easy for someone to become obsessed with an instrument, it never reaches an end. You can always learn more, no matter how good you are. I myself have experienced infatuation with creating music. Although I am not very good, the process intrigues me. Because of this, I always have instruments in my apartment and decided that they would be great subjects for a photography assignment about obsession. I captured a few photographs of my trusty acoustic bass, which I got for free years ago but never lets me down. I took them from angles that would not normally be visible causally glancing at the instrument. They emphasize both the complexity of construction as well as the ware from years of use.

I also have a cool old Casio keyboard that gets lots of use mainly because of its ability to record and replay sounds. This use is shown through a missing key and another on the verge of coming loose. Nothing shows the captivating nature of music better than an instrument that has been used to the point of falling apart.

Another musical obsession of mine is for vinyl records. I have a record player in my apartment and a collection of vinyls from both new and old bands, ranging over many genres. There is something absolutely fascinating about how a needle running over etched vinyl can create such complex sounds. I tried to capture the magical moment of needle touching vinyl through photographs. Sadly, I never got a shot I was truly happy with, but I will share what I captured.