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Detailed evaluation of the second image:

To begin with, my intention for this collection is to reflect on the relationship between nature and human society: as advanced technology spreads, fewer people are spending time with the natural world. This set of photographs intends to evoke the audience to feel a broken connection with nature; it gives the audience a soft, delicate, and blurry feeling. For inspiration, I formed this idea from a photographer called Stephen Calcutt. He tends to utilize natural elements and humans in his work, along with the use of reflective surfaces. For example, in Stephen Calcutt’s ‘Bus Stop’ Graffiti Photo Series, he includes all the following factors:

    • all the photos are taken from a reflective surface
    • scratches on the frame
    • involves people as a subject
    • taken from the street: background complex
    • the focus of the image is not as sharp

Then, based on his work, I created my own photograph collection called “Reflection.”

Precisely, the second image of the “Reflection” collection captures a hand holding a phone with the phone case being a slightly broken mirror. Inside the reflection, the mirror displays a vague shape of a girl on the far-left side, with the background being a natural environment (trees and plants).

Initially, I tried to bring emphasis to the main subject of the image—the phone. To do this, I used negative space, colors, and positioning. The almost pure white background acts as a negative space; the point of it is not to look fancy but to be simple and give attention to the essential object in this image, which is the phone. Likewise, the single-color white in the background contrasts with the complicated, vivid, bright color projected inside the phone. In other words, the white brings out the combination of color (green, blue, black, etc.). By doing this, audiences’ eyes are more likely to be attracted to the phone. Similarly, the placement of the object also plays a role. Because the reflective surface of the phone is the dominant item inside the camera frame, the audience’s attention is forced onto this object during the first glimpse.

Now, with all eyes on the phone, let us discuss the composition within. It is hard to play with mirrors in photography. The challenge is to ensure the character and the natural background are in the right place when the camera is clicked, especially using one hand. I worked hard to position them together in a frame, but I managed to do it in the end. The photo ends up picturing a girl holding a phone as if she is taking a selfie with the trees and plants. This action signifies the common phenomenon seen in modern days. When people interact with the natural world, they tend to observe these incredible landscapes through phone lenses, through high-tech, but not with their own real eyes. As a result, people are missing out on the true beauty of nature and not fully appreciating it. Furthermore, with that being discussed, the cracks on the phone screen add another layer to the interpretation. Cracks are often used to represent vulnerability—something is beginning to break or the process of falling apart. Similar to these definitions, the cracks visible on the phone case stand for, or display, the broken relationship between people and the natural world. Due to the overuse of cell phones and their production, human society is drifting further and further away from nature and, even worse, causing destruction to it. In this case, looking back at the photo, it should provoke a subtle and fading mood and even an ironic feeling. In addition, the low sharpness of the image caused the subjects to be in rough shape—harder to see- but it hooks the audience’s interest. The background is the most blurred, which, again, brings emphasis to the phone. Then, inside the phone, there are also blurs, blurs with color. This vague feeling makes it visually appealing and invites people to wonder and study the photograph. Most importantly, this vagueness symbolizes the idea that phones, or any other technology, cannot capture the true beauty of the world around us. It can only preserve a less detailed or virtual version of it; the reality and pure beauty need to be observed by eyes and appreciated by the human heart. Phones can only bring destruction to our relationship with the natural world, creating ‘cracks’ in the connection.

In conclusion, I called this photo collection the “reflection” because I want people to reflect on these issues: overuse of technology, human-made destruction in nature, etc. I aim to display the falling connection between the natural world and human communities and raise awareness among people.