This photo represents the way other people see me. I’m actually very insecure, but many people see me as someone very sure and very successful, which is why I have the medals. I don’t think I’m that good at volleyball, but people point to my awards as reasons that I am. The poster behind me represents this as well, kind messages from all my teammates about me, and how I inspire them, when I don’t always feel that way.

I love storms, especially the ones in the Spring and. Summer. It’s so fun to be hanging out by a lake or taking a hike, only to be drenched by warm showers from above. This photo comes from a time like that, camping in the summer, when a dramatic rainstorm suddenly hit the lake we were playing at.

For my deadly sin, I chose sloth. I thought that this photo really represented to me what it means to be tired. Just laying on the floor. Sloth is about being lazy and not working, so the setting and time of this photo works well, as it was during tech week when the subject of this, Joie, is an ASM and needs to be working rather than laying on the floor.

I really love this photo. It’s of my cousin Katie at our grandparent’s house. We decided to take some photos and edit them to get the film noir feel. I decided not to make this photo in black and white because it takes away from the photo. It takes away so much warmth and life from her face. I know it isn’t very film noir to have color, but it just doesn’t look good. The story seems to leave her in black and white.

The shower is a very important modern convenience. Who would I be if I couldn’t take a way-too-long shower and think about things that don’t matter? A hot shower is just what I need after a long day, a workout, or if I just need some time to myself. I couldn’t live without it! I decided to go a comedic route with my ad, making it really simple and funny with slight spelling errors and terrible rose petals. I had a lot of fun making it, I think it would thrive as a strange online ad.

While location scouting, Arabella and I found an amazing tree with beautiful golden leaves. It was so cool, we just had to stop and take some pictures. To me, the best thing about the changing seasons is the beautiful leaves. I love the scenery of fall. Even the harsh shadows so early in the afternoon remind me of the early nights that come with the fall weather.

In the fall, I love looking at the colorful changing leaves around my backyard. This one by the garage is my favorite, with extremely vibrant reds and oranges painting the leaves. When I turned it black and white, it was strange to see how much was taken away, yet how much more I noticed. When editing, I looked at the shapes of the leaves and the shadows on them. The veins on the leaves, the deadness of the smaller branches, the density of the foliage. It’s interesting how without color, a new story emerges.

This photo represents the friends I’ve gained through playing volleyball. I really like this picture because I feel like everyone’s personalities are displayed through their jump. Megan has the highest jump despite being the shortest and has her arms straight up, whereas #8, Alice, has her arms at a bent angle, almost like she doesn’t know exactly what to do with them. I love how it represents the small family I’ve gotten playing volleyball, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

This photo is meant to tell the story of my culture. I decided to capture the culture of my family, as I don’t have any other culture that comes to mind. I’m very white, the kind of person who’s ethnic background is just Europe. Even the interesting parts of my culture, like my great-grandmother from France, is lost in my family. I don’t like french, I don’t make french dishes, I am completely disconnected from any pieces of my past. Now, I don’t see that as a bad thing due to this photo. My culture is my family. My culture is the messy kitchen, making dinner in PJs while dancing…