Esta Soy Yo
Reconnection
Esta Soy Yo, Las Fotos Project’s foundational program, focuses on the exploration of self and various components that intersect to make up our complex identities. Using photography as the means to explore and begin delving into their true selves, students document their road to self-discovery. The images that follow are the culmination of a 14-week class where students, supported by their mentors and teaching artists, began developing their technical skills while simultaneously laying the groundwork for their creative expression. Examining the various facets in their lives, “Esta Soy Yo: Reconnection” reflects on the values of the young photographers and reveals the different markers of their identity. From our chosen family to religion to finding and defining beauty. As the youth navigate their surroundings and reflect on the continued uncertainties of the past year, their work and the premise of this class allow them to establish a Reconnection with themselves and the various forms that their selves manifest. The collection of images show conscious decisions in framing, lighting, and subject matter and demonstrate the unique voices and identities of our students. Their growth throughout the past semester in this exploratory environment reminds one of the importance that our values hold and the ways that the self extends beyond our physical selves.
TEACHING ARTIST
Amara Higuera
Sam Richardson
MENTORS
Alejandra De la Fuente
Alex Westfall
Carolina Salazar
Ceci Arana
Danielle Del Rosario
Dyanne Cano
Maya Wali-Richardson
Ry Essi
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHERS
Alyssa Ho
Angel Torres
Anna Vasquez
Ashley Romero Gomez
Aster Sanchez
Bibiana Romero
Caitlin Jane “CJ” Calica
Chalchioyacatzi Alcala
Haley Santibanez
Melania Espinal
Selene Medina
Uzuri Ray
Vincent Rosado
Xitlali Gonzalez
Alyssa Ho, age 17
About Me:
Alyssa is a Senior in high school at California School of Arts-San Gabriel Valley. She is in the Creative Writing Conservatory and aspires to be a novelist. Besides writing, she loves film and photography. She attended the CSSSA in the Film Conservatory in 2019 and Girls’ Voices Now in 2020. For photography, she attended her first semester with Las Fotos Project in Digital Promotoras for Spring 2021, which inspired her to take AP Studio Art in Photography for her senior year. She is excited to create her portfolio and develop her visual storytelling skills.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
My senior year has been a hectic journey with both school-wide events and college applications. I wanted to capture both the feelings of freedom, friendship, and stress that comes with my last year of high school, but the first year back from the pandemic and reconnecting with friends and mentors. It’s a bittersweet moment that I hope to remember and take with me into the future, and a promise to keep relationships strong.
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Homecoming
At my high school, we held an untraditional homecoming inspired by Woodstock in which students could showcase their music abilities and perform on a stage. At first, many students were skeptical of the idea, myself included. This was my first and last homecoming and I wanted a “normal high school dance,” but as my friend sang her heart out, I was glad to support her. Senior year was going to be different, but it would also be our own.
Forever Home
This picture was taken during Senior Sunrise to mark the beginning of the year. We will do a similar Senior Sunset at the end of the year. However, you can’t really tell the time with the black and white filter. This was intentional as I wanted to capture this moment of love that is not beginning nor ending; it is something timeless.
For A New Home
Senior year is not without its frustrations as applying to college is a looming presence all throughout the first semester. I wanted to capture this stress and tiredness of late nights and multiple tabs open. In the picture, the blue lighting is coming from the Common App Login portal, a website I literally have open all the time.
Angel Torres, age 13
About Me:
My name is Angel Mia Torres and I’m an 8th grader at Chaparral Middle School. I was born in Simi Valley, CA, and currently live in Moorpark, CA. Outside of school, I love doing multimedia art like painting and sewing, listening to music, and taking care of my plants. In the future, I want to be an artist who uses their art as a form of activism and to use my voice to help others. My goal is to be able to help uplift people and communities to be seen and heard.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
My project is focused on found objects. I enjoy photographing trash and objects around my community that I think have significance and purpose despite being overlooked. During the pandemic, the lack of human impact became very apparent as our wildlife and natural environment began to heal, and more recently in this pandemic, we as a society began to heal too. Through my project, I hope to highlight the effects people have on nature, and make both the plant and human life seem important and beautiful in their own way. I hope to reconnect these objects, and their stories, to the community I live in.
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Untitled
Groups of kids flood out of school with bags hanging low; some head home, whilst others mess around behind the store fronts, playing like every other day, leaving behind the evidence of their presence in the places they pass.
Untitled
As trains stop and go from the metro station, and people arrive at their destinations, scraps of jeans, torn and bruised, are left on the tracks of their final location. Perhaps accidentally forgotten, they provoke a sense of wonder in the riders who look upon them.
Untitled
Silence occupies the block by day, but at night, life blares awake. The litter of loud nights rests in the streets, some being picked up, while others dance in the wind of passing cars for days or even weeks. They soon become forgotten, as others take their place and follow their inevitable fate.
Anna Vasquez, age 17
About Me:
My name is Anna Vasquez, I am a 17-year-old photographer based in Los Angeles. I was raised in Baldwin Park, California and am currently a Senior at Sierra Vista High School. This is my 9th semester in the Las Fotos Project. I focus on portraiture/self-portraiture and I use my work as a way of expressing myself. I started my pursuit of photography three years ago by taking pictures of nature and my sister. I have been in a few publications such as Brite Light Magazine, “Migrant Mama” mural and Virtual Reality Experience, GRL mag, and more. Soon, I plan to go to college for photography/art history. One day, I would like to publish a book about my work; showing how far I have come!
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
For my project, I decided to make a miniature set and use teddy bears to represent me in an ideal room. Outside of each window is my eye which represents the challenges I have faced whether they were past or present. I used a miniature set because whenever I face these challenges I always feel smaller, as if everything can just overtake me. It is my senior year in high school and this year comes with challenges. I try so hard to prioritize my mental health over everything but in the end I always feel smaller than I actually am.
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Afternoon
It is supposed to be a fun day with my friend but yet the darkness from my challenges overcome me and they run and hide. I thought this would go away during the day.
Nighttime
I can see them lurking in the window, telling me I am not enough and will never be enough. I just want to spend time with others without the stress overtaking me.
Morning
I woke up and stared out the window knowing that nothing would be different from the day before. These “demons” will always be there waiting to see me crumble and I’ll be looking back hoping I don’t crumble.
Ashley Romero Gomez, age 14
About Me:
My name is Ashley Romero, I am 14 years old and was born in East Los Angeles but grew up in Puebla, Mexico. I moved back to East L.A. when I was 7 years old. I’m a 9th grader at Garfield High School. This is my second time participating in Las Fotos Project’s programs. I’m a quiet and thoughtful person. I also really enjoy running because it lets me think; I’m proud that I have done The L.A. marathon twice and hope to run more marathons. I enjoy using photography as a way to reconnect with myself. It is a way to express myself and explore new parts of my identity. My inspiration is my sister Maria because she has paved a pathway for me to be who I am.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
My project is about reconnecting with my younger self and my roots. I decided to do this because I grew up in Mexico but moved to L.A. when I was seven. I don’t remember much from that time because I was so young, but I love the memories I do have. This semester, I travelled back to Puebla where I grew up and was able to visit the places and family members that have helped shape me. Being in Mexico helps me be closer to my culture.
Ofrenda
When I was younger I loved helping set up the ofrenda, it was a family activity we would do all together. On this trip it was just me and my grandma that made the altar together. This trip helped me realize that this is a special tradition that we should appreciate because it brings families together.
After The Rain
I took this photo the morning after a night of heavy rain. I have a strong memory in my mind of Puebla after the rain from my childhood. The neighborhood is quiet. You can hear the birds, and the smell of the plants freshly watered is pleasant and peaceful.
Bread Making
We make bread every year as an offering for Day of the Dead. When I was smaller I wasn’t able to help because there was too much movement in the kitchen. The oven is outdoors, on top of a clay bathhouse called a temazcal. This year I was able to help clean the pans for the bread and document a part of the process. You’re supposed to offer the first batch of bread to the dead, otherwise it is speculated that the rest won’t come out good.
Aster Sanchez, age 16
About Me:
My name is Aster Sanchez, and I am 16 years old. I identify as Hispanic and I use they/them pronouns. I’m currently a Junior at Dr. Olga Mohan High School. I enjoy being creative because I’m very passionate about creating things like photography. Photography allows me to shoot anything to my heart’s content. Some things I enjoy shooting are places that mean a lot to me, showing appreciation for a loved one, expressing myself through self-portraits, and anything else that inspires me or gets my creative juices flowing! I would describe myself as a helpful person because it makes me feel good to help others. My other hobbies besides photography are playing video games, listening to music, making jewelry, and collecting things like pins, stickers, or figures.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
My project is about the reconnections with myself and relationships with my boyfriend. After covid, I have had many relationships fade away, but I wanted to focus on the one that grew stronger throughout the pandemic. I captured images that represented the intimacy and growth of my relationship with him. I explored self-portraits to demonstrate how much I grew as a person this past year. The reason why I decided to take images of my boyfriend is because I strongly value our relationship and always believe that capturing photos can save a memory forever.
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Us
In this photo we were on our way to Downtown Los Angeles after my boyfriend picked me up from school. I captured this photo because it was during the time where we felt comfortable with one another and when I felt happiness. Typically, we aren’t people who enjoy showing our faces so the shadows represent our true selves without our faces needed in the photo.
Me, Myself, and I
I found myself outside of my house just questioning my existence and wondering if it’s even worth it. Everyday feels blurry and it’s hard to find a reason why I keep doing it. I’ve always struggled and I’ve kept quiet about it as I find it a pain to bother others about my troubles. However, I’m trying to learn to just experience special moments in my life so the thoughts can go away for a while. I’ll keep trying.
You and Me
This photo was taken in a 7-11 mini-mart while on our way to the Michael’s store. We both love exploring new places with each other, especially in Los Angeles. I’m not fond of going out at all and my boyfriend lives in an isolated area in Orange Cove, CA. Exploring is our favorite thing to do together as we always have such a fun time and in those moments, I find a reason to keep living to experience more of them.
Bibiana Romero, age 17
About Me:
My name is Bibiana. I go by she/her pronouns. I am 17 and am a senior at Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts. I was born here in Los Angeles. I am chicana and I am very proud of my Mexican roots. I’m still not sure what I want to be when I grow up. There are many things that interest me and I change my career goals every week. Some things I like about myself are my side profile and my moles around my body especially on my face and arm/hands, they make me very unique. I love to read! I actually started reading during quarantine which is crazy because I didn’t think I’d pick up a book and especially not independently. I have four brothers, two cats and a dog that has grown up with me. I love reading, photography, hiking, nature, rain, good music, oversized hoodies, Pinterest, and good food.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
These are the aesthetics I feel most happy within—my friends and my Chicana culture—that I feel like capture what makes me, me!
Coin Wash
Seen on a night walk.
Backlight
Another night view.
Lowrider
Caerulrus
Caitlin Jane "CJ" Calica, age 17
About Me:
Caitlin-Jane Calica (she/her/siya), who also goes by the name CJ is a Senior attending Glendale High School. Based in Los Angeles, California she is currently seeking out opportunities that will help enlighten her creative spirit and inspire her passion for photography. Being a part of the Filipinx Community, she aims to shine a light on her culture through her photos and art. Driven, passionate, and optimistic, CJ works to be a problem solver within her city. She is currently working with her passion project, STAR (Students Together Assisting Refugees), bringing positive action to help student refugees in her region. Someone who truly inspires her is, Eduardo Masferré, a Filipino Photographer, who works mainly focused on celebrating the natives in the region of Cordillera.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
If translated to English, the word “Sari-Sari” in Tagalog would be defined as the word “miscellaneous.” Growing up I had always seen the intersections of my culture and my identity to be sari-sari or that variety mix. In my project I want to celebrate those connections of who I am, mixing each together, through the perspective of my eyes as a Filipina American teen growing up in Glendale, California. Being raised with that Pinoy way of life and the LDS practices, have significantly impacted my way of life. Despite the paucity of Filipino Mormons in my family and surroundings, I’ve always found it quite easy to connect with my Filipino culture as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So, in these final pieces, I included what I believe to be the most impactful factors that shaped the person I am today.
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Gunita sa Katahimikan
Morrone and the trumpet, which can be found on top of every LDS temple, are recognizable features that let you know you've arrived at one of the temples. Since I was in primary school, my class and I would commemorate the midpoint of the year by visiting the Los Angeles temple and having a picnic in the visitors' center. The photo is of this temple and the overlay is a map of the location, based on my recollections of the area.
Lola Loreto
My Lola was someone with whom I never had long discussions, but we always knew how each other felt. She was born in Manila and earned a name for herself by raising seven children while also working part-time. She had relocated her family to Glendale and was the primary caretaker of my brother and me throughout our early childhood. I wanted to honor her by photographing myself alongside her photo, in which she is roughly the same age as me.
Sari-Saring Meryenda
My main source of Filipino snacks growing up was the Eagle Rock Mall. So when I landed in the Philippines, I discovered many of the junk foods I ate in Glendale were sold on vendor bikes instead of shops. I wanted to depict a food that is often sold in both regions, as well as a drawing of one of the vendors I used to frequent during my time there, by overlapping the two and creating a link between them.
Chalchioyacatzi Alcala, age 13
About Me:
My name is Chalchioyacatzi Alcala, really long, I know. My friends and family call me Chachis. I am a 13-year-old girl from Boyle Heights. I love to draw, paint, read, and spend time with my dogs. I love to take pictures on my iPhone; my dad calls me the “picture lady” because I enjoy capturing candid moments of my friends, family, and sometimes food. I never thought I would be joining Las Fotos Project, but this semester I decided to give it a try. I wanted to meet other girls in my community. Someone who inspires me is my sister Ketzally. I look up to my sister because she has accomplished so much at such a young age— I would like to be like that one day. Some things that interest me are theater and writing. The kind of photography that interests me most is urban or architectural photography.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
I would describe my project as a way to see through my eyes. It is about how different experiences affect how people see the world. We could look at the sky in the same spot, but my sky might be gray while yours might be pink. I believe this project helped me expand my mind to the endless possibilities of photography and how photographs can convey some emotion behind it. My mood really influenced my photography; it affected how I saw the world through the camera lens and it felt like my changing moods told me what to capture. Another thing that influenced my work was my experiences and how I identified my emotions. When people look at my photos, I want them to feel as though they’ve just seen the world through someone else’s eyes. It would be cool if my photos allow others to reflect on and heal through their own experiences.
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Self-Portrait
This is one of my only self-portraits. I decided to use this photo because it was based on my first idea of my project which was “how people use clothing to express themselves.” I thought it would be important to still have that in this project albeit in a different perspective. I’m not sure how to explain this photo but maybe that’s what I love about it, there’s no right or wrong way to look at it.
The Sky and the City
The sky. The sky is a piece of art that someone renews every day. It never looks the same twice and I find that quite beautiful. The city. The city of L.A has been home to many different people throughout its years. I find that the city is a beautiful place and has been quite important and it's where I've had my most memorable experiences and it's changed how I see the world. Good or bad, it's been there.
The Window
The window. There is a door and a window. How interesting they both look like art, to me an undeniable urge to paint this and represent this art in different mediums. For example, I took this picture to capture exactly one of the many ways this one piece of an experience could be shown and shared with the world. My favorite part of this collage is how the pictures work together.
Haley Santibañez, age 17
About Me:
My name is Haley Santibañez and I’m 17 years old, in 11th grade at Stern Mass. What inspires me to be a photographer is that l get to capture moments in my life and history and turn them into my own artistic piece. I enjoy taking pictures whenever l have the time because I love creating beautiful images that have stories behind them and sharing them with people. What l like best about myself is that l am open to new things and love learning about subjects that interest me. Something I would tell new photographers is that trial and error is key in learning photography. Everyone makes mistakes and over time your experience will grow and you’ll get more comfortable. The same thing can be said about any new hobby or subject that you want to learn. It is important to never give up on something that you find engaging and remember to value what you do. As a photographer at Las Fotos Project, I have improved significantly in managing the technical side of the camera. I used to just take pictures as-is without changing my camera settings, but now I am always cognizant of adjusting my settings to make sure I am getting the image I want. I am really proud of myself for developing new skills that I have been taught at Las Fotos Project because it shows how far I have come from when I first started.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
My memories of family, especially those of my grandmother, are not only in my head and heart,but are captured in photographs to keep them alive. I made collages of photographic memories of my family, objects with significant meaning, and portraits of myself. I wanted to capture the vibrant colors of all these things because they take me back to my past and childhood, which was full of color and brightness. What made me want to start this project was that my grandmother and grandfather recently moved to Mexico, leaving the home where my whole family was raised, including myself, over the past 30 years. I have grown to miss my grandparents but also the house and the memories that we created in it. In these images I wanted to contribute important objects that were meaningful to me and reminded me of home. These objects don’t just represent who I am but also my heritage and roots, just like my memories that have made me into the person I am.
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Self-Portrait
This is one of my only self-portraits. I decided to use this photo because it was based on my first idea of my project which was “how people use clothing to express themselves.” I thought it would be important to still have that in this project albeit in a different perspective. I’m not sure how to explain this photo but maybe that’s what I love about it, there’s no right or wrong way to look at it.
The Sky and the City
The sky. The sky is a piece of art that someone renews every day. It never looks the same twice and I find that quite beautiful. The city. The city of L.A has been home to many different people throughout its years. I find that the city is a beautiful place and has been quite important and it's where I've had my most memorable experiences and it's changed how I see the world. Good or bad, it's been there.
The Window
The window. There is a door and a window. How interesting they both look like art, to me an undeniable urge to paint this and represent this art in different mediums. For example, I took this picture to capture exactly one of the many ways this one piece of an experience could be shown and shared with the world. My favorite part of this collage is how the pictures work together.
Melania Espinal, age 16
About Me:
Melania Espinal lives in Los Angeles, California, and attends Eagle Rock High School. They would describe themself as hyper-curious, ambitious, and quite idealistic. They usually find themselves daydreaming about their future and new creative projects. They love architecture, ceramics, the material nature of film photography, and language preservation. They also take a lot of pride in being Indigenous and dedicate time to reconnecting with their culture and practices. With this in mind, they are also a connoisseur of Xoloitzcuintlis and want one very badly. Art and philosophy are very important to them and are a driving force in everything they do. Reading books that liberate their community is extremely important to them. They love to explore and find the utmost inspiration in the spaces and structures around them. They hope to one day create these spaces, whether it is as an architect or structural engineer.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
My project is “Figures from Home”. In its simplest sense, “Figures from Home” is an amalgamation of everything that has offered its influence on my present self, offering me the sense of home even when I am currently transitioning from nearly 2 years of depending on my home to be my safe space. Whether it be people, places, or basic ideas, I want to capture the essence of these things or people and see how it is reflected on myself, primarily through portraits or things that represent me. The people in my life, the spaces I frequent, and the material objects I value are home to me. Comfort radiates through them all.
Ale
My friend, Ale, making bubbles at the park. I love taking pictures of her. My first time ever using film was to shoot her and I absolutely adore her.
(Photo)synthesis:
Me with everything that makes me, me. From the books of my knowledge bank (brain) to the yard that raised me, in all its green glory.
Dr. Burque and (the favorite) Hannibal:
My friend, Estella, with their cat, Hannibal. Estella’s presence radiates pure warmth, care, and all things good. Everyone needs an Estella!
Selene Medina, age 17
About Me:
My name is Selene Medina. I am a 17 year old senior at Franklin High School. I have been into photography since middle school, but I got the opportunity to join Las Fotos Project this semester. Joining Las Fotos Project has taught me to be open to different styles of photography. I started by taking pictures of what I found interesting and beautiful on my phone— this is how I found my love for photography. When I got the chance to use a real camera, I enjoyed taking pictures of areas in my community that felt nostalgic and culturally beautiful. In the future, I would love to represent my community and other communities similar to mine. Additionally, I am interested in finding my individuality within the field of photography.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Growing up in Lincoln Heights has raised me and taught me so much about myself, I wanted to show this through my art. This project represents the art that I appreciate. I wanted to capture my community that is very beautiful to me. I chose to represent myself through experiences, spaces and people who have left an impact on me by taking an abstract approach to showing how I view myself.
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Skater Ang3l
My sister, Dalia, has played an important role in making me feel comfortable in my skin. An angel rests on her skin and reminds me of her love.
Seluna
Through this fence, I gaze at myself. As I’ve grown up I have felt a stronger connection to the moon. Selene is the moon goddess. The moon continues to guide me through life. I cherish her.
La Estrella
La Virgen de Guadalupe is a mural I see often in Los Angeles. She reminds me of my childhood. I see her in Mexican restaurants and on Library murals. Here she is captured in a Tacos Estrella restaurant, a place I got to eat occasionally growing up.
Uzuri Ray, age 14
About Me:
My name is Uzuri Ray, I am a 14-year-old, bisexual, Mexican-American 9th grader who attends Girls Academic Leadership Academy. My mother comes from Morelia, Michoacán. I go by any pronouns. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and have lived in Boyle Heights all my life. I like creating photographs that capture people at the right moment. I often prefer to take portraits of people when they don’t know I am taking a photo. I also experiment with different colored lights in my photographs.
Working with Las Fotos Project was the first time I started using a camera to take photos, but I have always been interested in photography. I like to spend my time reading, listening to music, and taking photos around my house. I like listening to music any time I can and enjoy listening to Taylor Swift the most. In this semester of Las Fotos Project, I explored my relationships with each member of my family.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This project is a statement about my family. I tried to make each photo show my relationship with the person I photographed. Throughout this project I experimented with different angles to relay the different emotions I felt when capturing each person. I chose to photograph my family because I spent a lot of time with them during quarantine while I had to attend online school. I was constantly with them and I wanted to make something to show how my relationship with each person developed and changed. I mostly focused on my siblings in these photos because my relationship with my siblings was what was most affected during the time of quarantine. We were constantly getting on each other’s nerves when we were stuck at home. However, after going back to school, I realized that I found comfort in the chaos of doing school at home and started to miss it. I photographed my siblings to honor the close relationship we fostered during quarantine.
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Fresh out of the Pool
This photo was taken after getting out of swim team practice outside of La Estrella restaurant in Boyle Heights. It was my first week of the program and I was so excited to start taking photos so I asked my sister to pose for me. She agreed and we had a mini photoshoot outside of the restaurant. I really like the angle this photo was taken from because it shows how I look up to her.
First Competition
I took this photo at my younger sibling’s first dive competition while she was waiting for her age group’s turn to compete. My favorite thing about this photo is the shadow of the gate. This competition was my sibling’s first dive competition. We got there at 8 in the morning and didn't leave until 2PM.
Father Daughter Relationship
This photo shows my older sister and my dad. It was taken at the Americana at Brand in Los Angeles. I like the space between my sister and dad in this photo. It represents how sometimes my dad can be there, but not really be there. My dad hasn’t always connected with me and my sister, but he has started to try to connect with us more.
Vincent Rosado, age 14
About Me:
My name is Leilah “Vincent” Rosado and I go by he/him pronouns. I’m 14 years old, in the 9th grade, and go to school at Los Angeles College Prep Academy. I was born in Boyle Heights and now live in Lincoln Heights. My dream career is to be a musician and a photographer or a director of films. My favorite bands are The Cure, Nirvana, Deftones and other artists too. Music helps me with my creative process and is expressed through my visual art.
What I like best about photography is that photos tell their own stories and that they can inspire people without using words. My favorite part about Las Fotos Project is that they allow young people to use cameras, take pictures, and give assignments that encourage them to try new things. It feels great to have others see and appreciate my photography, as well as give me feedback so I can improve. I also enjoy seeing other peoples work, which gives me inspiration.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Photography to me is a more expressive way to explain feelings, in different art forms. In my final project, I chose to focus on some moments with different storylines and what they can mean to me. The reason is because I find something special in films that inspires me in photography. I want others to feel interested and think about how they may portray the story differently while looking at my work. I enjoy taking photos because each of my images represent different content and different meanings, such as my everyday life and the different topics I love. I think the most challenging part of being a photographer is finding an idea and a topic I would actually want to focus on, and finding the motivation to create it. What I like best about taking pictures is the overall picture itself after the process, because in the moment I put a lot of thought into it but the overall picture comes out in a way I don’t always expect it to but it’s a great feeling.
Hover over the images below to read my captions.
The Waves
The waves: waves to me are like looking at and reflecting on self or past self. That's why it's called a wave, because it can be a wave of emotions, feelings or thoughts. That is what I wanted to capture in this picture; with the sky looking pink and the waves blue with a purple tone, just like my hair. I think of ideas and emotions looking at the waves and what they can represent to different people with different meanings, all at once.
Sunset
I took this photo in the car and after looking at it many times, I've become quite fond of how it looks. At the time I was only taking really dark photos of things I thought were meant to have a lot of light and happier feelings. When I think of sunsets I think of light and like a happy feeling, but I wanted to portray it a bit differently and make it seem more gloomy or leave it for other people to decide what they're feeling when they see this image.
Self Portraits
And lastly a self portrait, well somewhat self portrait. I actually hate how every photo of me comes out. It's just too embarrassing. But this specific photo of me kind of looks like of one of my favorite albums, ever which is “Disintegration” by The Cure, so it kinda grew on me. I think the way it came out and the blurriness of the photo adds to the fact that I don't really like self portraits.
Xitlali Gonzales, age 16
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
My project is about the little things in life. Showing appreciation to the things we may take for granted sometimes. Like watching the sunset when we’re taking out the trash or maybe when we are laughing with your friend until your muscles start aching. It’s also about family, blood or not. Loving family moments when you don’t have the slightest clue when you’re ever going to feel like this again. It’s like a warm fuzzy feeling in your chest that spreads and blooms into something indescribable. Love. The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. A family is our source of strength. It teaches us what relationships mean. They help us create meaningful relationships in the outside world. The love we inherit from our families, we pass on to our independent relationships. Family can mean we have someone to count on who shares our problems in life.
About Me:
I enjoy drawing, watching Marvel movies, and learning about entomology. One day I hope to write fantasy novels. My mother is a great cook, but I have no interest in cooking. She has big expectations for me, but I want to live a quiet life. Maybe a life of being a comic strip artist or working at a coffee shop. It isn’t much, but it is something I would want.
I live in Los Angeles, California in Boyle Heights. Some people may call it the hood. I think that’s really funny actually. It’s where I grew up and it’s where I feel the most comfortable. It’s my home where my people and culture are. I don’t think I would like it anywhere else.
My mom is a great photographer. She doesn’t do it professionally anymore, but her talent still stands. I was always so captivated by how precious moments could be caught beautifully. That’s why I took this class. To teach and show the beautiful moments in life.Hover over the images below to read my captions.
Breathing and Lights
I took this picture when I was hanging out with family. I love this picture because it reminds me of home.
Candy Cane Sky
I love this picture. It just seems so serene and if I didn't look up during the sunset, I wouldn't have seen this slice of literal candy in the sky.
Family
This is my niece, nephew, and my mom’s boyfriend. This picture just makes me kinda nostalgic for some reason, like this is the kind of picture you would see in the rubble of a war.