Category: Storytelling

Context: “As a Junior, you took a self portrait and told us who you think you are. To finish this off take a self portrait that shows us who others think you are.”

Well, actually, as a junior my class was not required to do the weekly photo challenge, so I don’t have a self-portrait to compare it to for a nice clean wraparound. Unless you count this, but I think I’d prefer you just forget about that entirely. Regardless, this here is how I think other people see me. Or maybe that’s just me projecting, because that’s how I see everyone else.

Storms! My favorite topic. Now, the prompt here was to show weather at its best. I would never be able to settle on one single photo as “the best” display of weather, but here’s one of my favorites. Impending apocalypse approaching. I had gotten my boating license about 90 minutes before this photo, and I had to outrun this looming storm driving a motor boat while watching the wind change and sky darken with each minute. An astraphobe’s nightmare, but also a storm enthusiast’s happy place. I happen to be both, so this was rather enjoyable.

I took the test a while back and I’m on my way to the 6th circle of hell. If anything, I was a little disappointed by that. Anyway, this here is one of my 7 Deadly Sins. You may be thinking this is gluttony, but it’s actually lust.

Is this film noir? I dunno. Not so much. I’m sure I don’t need to explain what film noir is, since I think everyone has a pretty good idea of it. I now realize that photo of Garfield that I used for color theory would have been a far better selection here, but I suppose it’s too late to turn back now. Here’s a bad photo, but I hope you enjoy it.

The prompt was to take a photo surrounding a modern inconvenience we could not live without. I do not own this, but I took a photo of the Tesla Model S that was parked at my grandparents house. While I’m just referring to cars in general, I think we can all agree that this right here is probably something most people can’t live without.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love rain and clouds? Aside from my obnoxiously pretentious perspective video, I mean. Well, I do.

I was putting up the Christmas decorations and was intermittently interrupted by little downpours of rain. A scattered sky full of both dark and light gray clouds, with a foreboding cloud in the distance and a soaking wet ground in the foreground is a perfect way to start the month.

Today I set out to tell the silent yet important story of every Denny’s employee’s worst nightmare. I think the image speak for itself, for the most part.

We see things in such an array of muddled colors. If we were to simplify this to a black and white scale with 50 shades of varied gray in the middle, the world might suddenly make a little more sense to us in ways we never imagined. You may have understood how a Denny’s employee would feel to see such a crime scene… but have you ever truly felt that way? Have you truly been there with them? Stare into this photo and become one with the chaotic and honest Denny’s midnight shift.

Also, this photo being in black and white is sparing you some of the details. The second drink in the foreground, with the thick straw protruding above, is a water. It is not clear. You do not want to know what color it is.

Our prompt was to tell the story of friends or family this week.

This is Garfield. He’s seven years old and has been part of my family since October 2012. There are very few things in this world I’ve ever been able to love as consistently and without fail as cats. I love this guy more than I could ever say.

And the story I’m telling? You can see him here, waking up from a nap to get up and walk over to eat food before going to go sleep again. A grandiose tale indeed.

The theme of the week was “your culture”. My culture is… well… it’s not very interesting, necessarily. If you trace it up, you’re just going to keep seeing American as far as you go. United States of American, that is. I’m not saying that’s a good thing or a bad thing… it’s just a thing thing.

My dad’s side of the family is from Sacramento for a long ways up, and my mom’s side of the family is from the New York area. If you follow my dad’s side up far enough, you should eventually find some prince of Scotland, or something along those lines. I’m not entirely sure.

But here’s a picture of a Union Pacific freight engine. Because that’s pretty American.