Social Gatherings

As a photographer of 4 1/2 years, I have had a taste of many genres of photography. I started out as a landscape photographer, but incrementally I adjusted my focus towards people and events. It was about 2 years ago when I first plunged into the field of event photography. You may be wondering, "So what exactly is the appeal to event photography?" To that I would say that each event is an entirely new experience. I never know what to expect. Sometimes the events turn out less than ideal. Other times I feel that there is nowhere else I would rather be. Every once in a great while, I will be photographing an event and will feel that wherever I point my camera lens, I am guaranteed to capture a magnificent shot. More often I find myself in the opposite situation, standing in a room with very little light and very little space. And yet I feel fulfilled so often when I photograph these events. Even though I almost always walk into the event as a stranger, I often leave having formed great friendships. Interestingly, the events in which I actively engage with the environment and converse with the people are always the events from which I derive the best images. When I take the more passive approach, and lazily wait for the decisive moment to affix itself in front of my camera lens, I leave the event unfulfilled and also with a regretful feeling. For me, to be an event photographer means to probe the entire locale keenly hunting for quintessential illustrations of golden vignettes of the human condition. As it says in my artist statement, I try to answer the question of 'what does it mean to be human?' through my photography. A major puzzle piece that forms part of the answer to this question can be found amidst social gatherings. After all, a critical part of being human is spending time in community with others.

What It Means to be Human

 An often overlooked flaw that many artists - deceased and living - have in common is to go through their life creating art just for the fun of it. While there is no inherent harm in enjoying the process of art, I feel that if one is going to dedicate his/her life to producing art, then (s)he will have more purposeful endeavors if (s)he has a penultimate and overarching goal. Whether that goal is a question, idea, belief, or any other type of message is totally dependent on the artist's preference.

 I am currently in the middle of the tedious process of college applications, an activity that causes one to reflect on their past, present, and future life. A midst this weighty task, I have been scavenging the depths of my mind to really ask myself what I am trying to accomplish through my photographic endeavors. As foolish as it may seem, I honestly have never just sat down and asked myself that dreaded question, until now. As I was going through some of my favorite images, I began to see an underlying theme: There was a person in the majority of my most prized photographs. And that's when it struck me; I really enjoy taking pictures of people! Shortly after I realized my favorite subject to photograph, I began to ponder how I could incorporate people into the question that I will try to answer through my photography. And then the idea struck me: I will answer the question of: "What does it mean to be human?" through my photography. While I do not yet have a response to said question, I am striving to answer that inquiry- one photo at a time. By documenting the entire emotional hue of humanity - from the darkest moments, to the brightest triumphs - I will start to piece together and elucidate the answer to my question.

   

Sweet Disillusionment

“If anyone is going to start finding his way in the world, he has to admit that he doesn’t know where the hell he is.” -Stellan Skarsgard, playing Dr. Erik Selvig in the film Thor.

     When a person looks at life through the lens of complacency, with the self-appointed crown of penultimate understanding and knowledge, he is blindfolding himself. If one desires to begin scraping at the surface of the permafrost called life, he cannot successfully break through ice without first opening his eyes. If man is to learn, he must realize his place in the whole scheme of history and of eternity. If humans are to grow, they must start asking the right questions. Humans are pupils, apprentices of Time. As Einstein once said, “Time is the greatest teacher, but unfortunately it kills all of its students.” Cultivate a garden of apprenticeship in your mind; learn to be a life-long learner.