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Floating Above Nowhere: A Senior Surreal Photo by Eric Liu (2013)

Limbs severed by paper is a common theme in one of my recurring nightmares. Because I believe that this element is so important, I've built this surreal piece around that haunting image. All of the images in this composition are original images. In fact, the photograph of the severed arm was actually taken with the other. For the Design assignment, I included an HDR image. That is, I took three different photographs of the same object but in vastly different exposures, which dramatically brings out the texture in the subject. The house on the side of the arm represents what we currently own, possess, and interact with. However, when the hand tries to reach for something more, the world becomes unbalanced. The ocean below with a lone figure slowly making his way through the perilous waves represents angst. Personally, I feel that this wandering state of mind is what drives myself to keep jumping the waves while hoping that dawn will bring an end to the relentless torture. In Photoshop, I experimented with the pen tool to digitally recreate skin and add some feathered blending effects to create the illusion that the house grew on the arm. Also, I used the tint effect, contrast, and curves to add a uniform color to the piece; in this case, I applied a sickly green, again emphasizing the unsettling emotions that ''Floating Above Nowhere'' summons.
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