Generations
This object is important to me because when I went to visit my grandma in North Carolina she gave me this ring. Jewelry is something both my grandma and mother have given to me that is a sign of love to me. This is because of how expensive it is that makes it important in a literal sense but also that it used to be theirs gives it value. Having something of someone else's has always made me feel as though I'm connected to that person because I now have something that used to be theirs. I wanted to photograph this not only because I was emotionally attached to it but also because there is a variety of textures and shapes that make it visually interesting. Photographing something small like this can be a struggle trying zoom while having my camera lens against a flat surface. However, once I find a good amount of zoom I usually can stick with it and then move to different angles from there. I also wasn't super excited when we started to use filters but I found that I really liked how it enhanced all the wear and shaping of the ring. I also like photographing objects that have shine because they create a clear focal point. That is also established by the pop of blue in the ring that contrasts against the white background.
Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days
Time for me has always been both a good and bad thing. It's good when you have a lot of time whether that is spent enjoying yourself or working hard in order to get something done. Little time usually is considered a bad thing whether you've been procrastinating or just can't get as much done as you want. But it's what you make of time I think that determines how you feel towards it. We are always worried about it and planning what we will do with it. Sometimes it's best to let it just stop at take a break even if it doesn't literally stop when we would like it to. One watch is 24 hours in a day and you can do so much with just one watch worth of time. Then it hits twelve and you start fresh the next day with another 24 hours to go new places, talk to new people, and experience new things. You can see a watch as just the moment now, the day, or all the days that have passed as it ticks by. That's why a watch to me was an object to photograph that's more than just something to put on your wrist but something different to each person.
Skating is something I've done since I was maybe as little as two or three years old. I would always go with my dad because unfortunately for my mom she can't do much besides cling on to the side of the rink (oops sorry mom you know I love you but it's true). When I go through old albums of photos or videos on my dad's phone and computer I'll find them skating. We always go out to parks and rinks to just skate he just enjoys being outside and is the main reason I do too. As I've gotten older it's turned into something that clears my mind because I have so many memories in places like parks. It allows me to look back on the past and not worry about the future. My dad and I have for sure built our relationship over the past few years while I've been going through things in my life that he can't always be there for. We can use things that I used to enjoy to help build new memories and bonds that help us maintain our relationship which I am extremely thankful for. This is why I wanted to take pictures of my skates because it's something my dad taught me to do and would want to do with my kids. It shows how material things you don't think mean much can really hold a lot of emotion when you begin to think about it.
Comfort
Every night when I'm stressed out I light candles. Smells, similar to photos and objects also can hold meaning for me. It can remind me of a certain moment by smelling the same thing I did in that situation. This is why I wanted to photograph a candle light. It gives a gentle light that is relaxing while it can actually turn into something dangerous. This was interesting to take these during the day. I usually like to take candle pictures at night because I think it enhances the light better. I accomplished this by turning the light down on my camera rather than waiting for the sun to go down. I also thought having the black background helps to enhance the colors of the light. Having the focal point of the photo be something bright and colorful and the background be dark and plain gives the photo clear point of interest.
Alternative Future
This is the most emotional picture for me. It is a picture of my mom's wedding ring. My parents divorced when I was three years old and I never really completely understood the whole thing because I was so young. Over the years my dad has had to work more and lives in Ohio so I don't get to see him as frequently as I used to or would like to. Having that be established in my pictures was important to me. That's why I did two different edits to these pictures. The first one represents before my parents divorced. The second one is after. It's harder to make out and more blurred because it represents the times now and the future which is uncertain on if my parents will ever have a less contentious relationship although it's better than some peoples. Things have changed and that is the message I tried to portray in these pictures.