Power

In the last class we talked about what is found photography, and what is involved in the action of taking a photo, and one of the comments was that we pose when someone is taking our photo because as the object of focus we have no power over what the frame will look like. I agree with this statement, but it also seems odd to me, because why then so we continuously in today's technological society subject ourselves to so many photos? So many chances to not be viewed as we would like to be, so many instances where a photo can just be god awful, and so many frames of the same pose, the same head position, the same people?

Is it a desire to preserve a memory and moment in time? Or is it a means to keep our image up?

http://memophoto.wordpress.com/

This link has an interesting article about mememory and photo, it relates to alot of what we have already talked about in class, but uses some different words for the same concepts we have discussed.

This is a photo of one of my favorite singers, Ingrid Michaelson.

I really enjoyed this picture, because I felt that it captured the essence of her and her music; I love that this photo just seems very bare and natural, and the exaggeration of her glasses accentuates the intelligence with which she writes.

Even removing what I know about Ingrid Michaelson (which, as we have studied is somewhat impossible) I still love the aesthetics of this photo. I tend to enjoy simplistic photography, and black and white photos, more than others.

“Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose”

 -Kevin Arnold

Passion

There are many things that I am passionate about in life, and among them is music. There are few things, that when I am feeling at my worst and am in the foulest of moods, make me feel content, and music is always number one.

I loved this picture because it evoked in me the thought of just how powerful music can be. I think back on some of the memories in my life and there is almost a asoundtrack to every major event in my life. Thinking about Houston and my grandparents ranch, and the Red Door BBQ (thing sthat defined my early existence) the song is "The stars at night/ are big and bright/ deep in the heart of Texas <clap, clap, clap, clap>". My Dad is "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle. Times in Celebration are the cliche "Celebrate good times/ C'mon!". 9/11 is Jewel's "Hands" which she wrote right after the event, and consistently makes me cry. Parker Jackson's death is Sarah McLachlan's "Angel". High School is our alma mater and "Graduation" by Vitamin C. Fuz E's death is "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor. One of my favorite days so far at college is High School Musical's "Can I Have This Dance?". And the best date ever of my life is with out a doubt "All I Ask of You" from Phantom. And the break-up that still aches my heart is Taylor Swift's "Breathe".

So much of my life and memory I equate to music, and so much of music equates to emotions I have experienced. I think its a good and bad thing, because to an extent I have no control over what music can evoke in me, but its an interesting power, and makes me question whether music (or memory) is truly inanimate.

I found this picture, and chose to upload it because it just makes me so calm and content. 

This picture just sums up how I feel about the sea, and makes me think of  how every time I go, I just feel at peace and in touch with me. It also makes me think of why  I love the ocean, because really for me, its the only place that I can go and let go. I go surfing, because I love the ocean, and also because its the only time I feel truly free--which is ironic because I'm not free really, but have just surrendered myself to the massive being that is the sea.

The ocean is also where I go when I need to feel closer to something greater than myself, and I can't go to the ocean and not just know that there is more to life, and something greater out there.

I uploaded this picture of Taylor Swift for two reasons, both rather shallow: I love her, and I love the ocean.

I am so proud of myself this year because I have stuck to my guns on so many things, and made such a conscious effort to improve; and Taylor Swift's music is part of what inspires me to do that. Its odd to have someone to look up to when you are almost 20, but I really do look up to her. I have spent so long being moderately-happy that I am really conscious now of the things that make me genuinely happy, and  I think thats why I enjoy her music so much, because it reminds me of so many things that I have been through that were not so happy, and yet I look at where I am now, and I know that it all happened for a reason.

Plus, nothing makes me happier than frolicking on the shore!