Second Semester

On Wednesday Ms. Miles met with the juniors and sophomore and told us that for the second half of the year she wants us to think of 10 new ideas that we might like to try or do for a senior ex. Yesterday we went to Balboa Park and saw the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA). The show we saw there was called "New Realities: Jerry Uelsmann + Maggie Taylor." I got a lot of ideas and inspiration there. So here is my list of things I would like to do or try:

1. Dark room trickery as done by Jerry Uelsman
2. Black and white photography
3. The innocence of children
4. The happiest moments of our day
5. Portraits that look like they were shot in the 60's-80's (may go with #2)
6. My family
7. Cancer
8. Abandoned buildings 
9. Genetic disorders
10. From child to teenager to adult
11. Teen angst
12. Gay rights
13. Fantasy (such as Maggie Taylor)
14. Abuse

Okay so I thought of more than just 10 but I guess that's kinda good. This list isn't really in order but the top 9 I'd really like to do but as for the  rest I'm not so sure about but I'll try them.

#8 The Pledge of Allegiance

Pledge of Allegiance

The photo above was taken Wednesday, January 12, 2011. My model was my dearest little sister Sara. In this picture she is holding a paper with the words of the Pledge of Allegiance printed on it but after the part where it says "with liberty and justice for all" there is a red * and under that sentence is the sentence "*unless you're gay."

The reason why I decided to use my 10 year old sister instead of one of my classmates is because it represents that if parents, adults and other people say that something is bad or wrong that children do listen and are influenced by our words and actions. The reason I put "*unless you're gay" at the end is because many people feel that because the LGBT community doesn't have the same rights as a straight person that our nation is not as free and just as we say it is. I originally wanted to shoot in the Grand Theatre but I felt that the background of the school may make the photo more interesting and there would be more natural colors. For the editing I simply changed the contrast and used a tutorial to learn how to darken the edges of the picture.


This is usually the point in my blog that I would rant about how unfair and unjust society is but I really don't know what to say that I haven't said before. I often wonder how many people have to say one thing and how many times they have to say it for something to change. To be honest sometimes I can get so disappointed in my country. Don't get me wrong, I love living here, I love what I have and I'm thankful for it. But if you say "liberty and justice for all" and "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." people will hold you to that and will be extremely angry when their unalienable rights are violated. I know people will say that life isn't fair but when it says clear as day in black and white that this is how it is then that's how it should be! No excuses!


I hope you enjoy the picture
Till next time


Links:
The Declaration of Independence