Alexandra Snyder- Beauty is all Around!

Participant Background:

Name- Nancy | Relationship to interviewer- Mother | *Participant has authorized use of first name and has consented freely to the use of their pictures and written statements.

Picture 1:

I chose this photo because I believe the camera did a great job at capturing the sunset for how it looked in person. I felt very at peace in the moment that I took this picture and I wanted to share my appreciation for its beauty through this project.

author response- This photo was taken with the intention of capturing solely the sunset and ended up showing the viewer a greater picture of the biodiversity in the area. There is no foot-traffic or cars in the area contributing to that lighter fresh air kind of feeling that the picture gives off.

Picture 2:

This picture was taken as I sat outside with a friend on her patio for lunch. In the moment I remember having talked to her about autumn coming and noticing all the different colored leaves that were starting to show themselves and eventually fall off. Although the picture is zoomed out a good amount, if you’re interested in seeing the detail you can see all the yellow and orange throughout. I actually ended up creating a small painting version of the picture, I think the contrast of the color in the tree and the bright blue sky is really eye-catching.

author response- There isn’t too much going on in this picture but as I zoom in, I see what is being discussed in the statement regarding the different colored leaves. This picture fits well with the first one in terms of following a running theme as it portrays yet another scene full of nature, unspoiled and untouched by humans. Just like the initial picture, this one was taken with the intention of drawing focus to the just the tree (not the picture as a whole).

Picture 3:

Throughout the past couple of months, I have tried to keep a sort of journal of all the sunsets I’ve seen just because they never look the same and they usually capture really well on camera. It’s actually proved to be a really peaceful side hobby, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty around you is always important and I think it’s something we don’t emphasize enough.

author response- The picture taken is of the sunset on a slow road. The absence of people and chaos, along with the angle in which the trees are pushing as the wind hits them give the reader a sense of calm as they observe the picture.

Common theme: Overall I think all three pictures stayed sort of in the same genre of photography. They all demonstrated snapshot moments in time as seen through the eyes of my participant, displaying nature standing on its own without the presence of anyone or anything. As mentioned in the third caption, my participant’s initial goal with these pictures was to capture beautiful moments as a reminder that when things get dull and difficult that there is always beauty out there. I think this is a very important message and I consider it the running theme for this project.