Concentration statement

1. In my concentration, I photographed my friend to tell the story of how I once felt in my life: forsaken by God. I depict the development of my faith in God by using a transition from black and white to color. Focusing on contrast and texture, I chose Charlotte to portray a painful stage in my life, after my father passed away. I sought to express my journey from loneliness to a state of freedom. The pieces in my concentration do this through the discovery of finding joy in God and nature.

2. The inspiration behind my concentration was the artistic photographer, Oscar Gustav Rejilander, who had a style I wanted to emulate: vintage figurative photos. From his photo titled “Homeless” I observed how locked away this homeless child must have felt as he was bent over with his head on his knees. I felt his pain and moving forward in my concentration I began with contrast emphasizing how Charlotte feels locked away and forsaken by God as I felt due to the unexpected death of my father and month later my grandpa and grandma also died. In C2, I specifically placed Charlotte by my grandmother’s door to show how alone she felt with no one by her side. The transition from black and white to color in C4 and C5 turns to a point in life where Charlotte begins to realize her freedom in sorrow as the images grow to color. In C8, Charlotte begins to reach out for help realizing she can be happy again and in C9 she wants to open a new chapter as personified by the opening of a door. C10 emphasizes texture as Charlotte take steps to find freedom even though she may be scared of being forsaken once again as she looks to her future in C11. Finally in C12 Charlotte, though scared of what may happen, finds joy and trust in God again.