Rebirth: A Senior Surreal Photo by Sanjana Pandit (2014)

For my surrealist design project, I implemented some of the most common objects found in nature: soil, a flower, and a cloud. I also decided to include a pair of hands, which hold a symbolic meaning. I first photographed pictures of flowers and then of hands holding soil, which I then combined using Photoshop. The photograph of the flower, is in HDR which adds a surrealistic effect. HDR essentially adds more dynamic range to a photograph, playing around with the ratio of lightness and darkness. After using the pen tool to trace the flower, I juxtaposed it on the photo with the hands holding soil to give off the effect that the flower is sprouting out of the soil. Above the flower is a single cloud that has a dark shade, hinting to the viewer that rain is foreseen. This cloud's juxtaposition is shocking and surprising considering clouds don't usually float above people's hands. This expresses the surrealism in this piece.

This piece is meant to convey the theme of life and rebirth. The flower is the main subject and I purposely made it look as if it has blossomed from the soil. The hands are a symbol of nurture and care. They are holding the soil that essentially gives this flower life. The cloud is another source of this flower's sprouting. The cloud gives off rain, which ultimately enables the flower to grow. The color scheme I used here was compound with neutral and cool colors. The overall meaning of this piece was someone giving life to another form of nature.