Wish: Group Photo Project

Completing this project, scheduling and communication were large issues. Members schedules did not overlap, so communication was strictly via email. While convenient, this method is more unreliable than face-to-face meetings. One lack of response created more confusion for all. However, the distribution of preferences served the group well. Some preferred working on photographs, some thought creatively and some preferred organization and presenting, simplifying the division of labor. With more time and more experience with Photoshop, editing the photos would have enhanced them. In addition, it would have been wise to dedicate less time to taking photos and more to preparing the presentation. 

The final product’s most pleasing attribute and most important lesson was its insight into the personal nature of photography. An individual took each photo. Despite the common theme, the photos were all immensely different. While to one person wish meant depicting people, to another it meant tangible objects and to another it was more abstract. The project’s diversity accents the truth that photography is rarely impersonal and never objective. It also provided a valuable lesson in the importance of lighting. Given the abstract nature of the topic, light was often used to suggest imagination or optimism. In many cases, the point of the photo would have been lost without appropriate lighting, a constant reminder that light can make or break a shot.

This photograph captures the idea of wish by showcasing the time 11:11 in an aesthetically pleasing way. The shot draws on contrast, shadows, and short exposure time to visually tell viewer, “It’s 11:11. Make a wish.”

Contrast

The photograph derives much of its appeal from areas of sharp contrast. There is a drastic contrast between the pure white created by the candle in the upper right corner and the pure black seen in the bottom left portion of the shot. Both these shades are enhanced by the presence of their opposite, creating a more interesting photograph. Even more striking is the contrast between the digital numbers and the clock that displays them. Light from the candle was angled to make the screen appear completely black, instead of its actual grainy grey. Against such complete darkness, the red numbers pop, introducing vibrant color and light that become the focal point. These contrasts also underscore a thematic contrast; a wish highlights the marked disparity between desire and reality.

Shadows

Contrast and depth are added by the use of shadows. While the sides are engulfed entirely by light or darkness, a middle layer of shadows softens and enhances the frame. The positioning of the candle and an overhead light outside the room where the shot was taken created the shadows. Most important are the shadows cast on the upper right corner of the clock and the shadow that emerges from under the bottom left corner. Both accent the clock’s curvature, ensuring that it is not entirely lost in darkness. They also suggest the clock’s shape, allowing the viewer to imagine its continued curves as they disappear into darkness. The shadows cast in the areas directly above the clock and below the candle blend with areas of contrast to lend the shot a hazy feel, juxtaposing the whimsical, undefined nature of a wish with the certainty of longing. 

Exposure

The darkness of the shot was allowed for by the camera’s very short exposure time. The room in which the photo was taken was significantly brighter than the photo suggests, but the camera absorbed little of that light. Excluding much light created a more powerful shot, enhancing the presence of the candle and creating interesting regions of complete darkness.