Revised vision:

The title of this project is Street Photography, and my aim is to use my photographs to convey a sense of warmth within familiar surroundings. Through my images, I want the audience to feel as though they’ve stepped into another world or traveled back in time—transported to a place where the ordinary reveals an unexpected beauty and intrigue. By capturing these elements, I hope to challenge people’s assumptions about urban spaces and invite them to find magic in the seemingly mundane.

To build my vision, I will explore photographs that employ techniques like fishing, centering, and out-of-place, conveying the theme of “warmness” Each photograph will aim to uncover layers of visual storytelling, leading viewers to see the surroundings in a new light.

Ultimately, my goal is for this project to be more than just a collection of images; I want it to evoke a sense of warmness and strong emotions in the viewer, highlighting the street life in China. I believe that doing so will inspire a deeper appreciation for the world around us.

The contact sheet (For time, 06: xx = 01: xx):

Yellow selections:

Basically, for the yellow selection, I filtered the photographs based on how well they were captured, regardless of the theme or topic. These are the photographs that are simply not “bad.”

Green selections:

I chose these images as my green selections because of their beauty and how they capture both the background and the subject. Each one seems to convey a story: crossing a road with a family member or alone; sitting on a chair, deep in thought or perhaps bothered by something; lying on a chair in a posture so comfortable and relaxed that it feels human; or simply enjoying a cozy moment under a tree, close to nature. These photographs evoke a sense of warmth, full of stories, perfectly aligning with my revised vision.

Red selections(I could only choose 2 out of all the photographs….:(    ):

My photographs echo Sally Davies’ style through their purpose of documenting everyday life. Davies often captures the subtle beauty of urban environments, highlighting interactions between people and their surroundings. Similarly, my photographs focus on everyday scenes, such as ordinary trees, to emphasize human connections and evoke a sense of warmth through the subjects’ postures and the use of lighting. Ultimately, these photographs all tell a “story.”

The first image portrays two individuals enjoying a peaceful moment by the lake, either sharing a conversation or simply savoring the morning. The second image depicts two people, likely family members or friends, walking together beside the lake. The sequence of these two photographs was carefully considered: it begins with a static, reflective moment (two seated individuals) and transitions to movement in brighter lighting (the walking pair). The lighting in the first photograph conveys a sense of hope, as the couple is positioned under a dark tree but faces toward the brightness and light. Similarly, the second photograph conveys hope, with the two individuals literally standing in the light. Together, the images add layers to the sequence, shifting from a subtle, reflective hope to a more active, illuminated sense of optimism.

To achieve this effect, I used techniques such as “Working the Scene,” “Fishing,” and “Focusing on the Background” to create soft lighting that evokes warmth and strong emotions in the viewer while highlighting the street life in China. In this unit, I learned to capture people’s emotions through their posture and facial expressions to tell a story, employing techniques like those mentioned above to refine the outcome of my photos and using lighting to evoke specific emotions.

Looking forward, I aim to improve my craft in street photography by taking more photographs and experimenting with additional techniques to evoke diverse emotions. If I could redo the street photography trip and create another set of images, I would first borrow a camera to avoid the limitations of low-quality photos, which I find frustrating. Additionally, I would explore more complex human interactions and experiment with diverse compositions, such as asymmetry or reflections. I would also strive to create a hierarchy through the use of color, as the current images lack enough variation in color to establish distinct contrasts and thus fail to create a strong hierarchy.

Reflection:

In the final presentation, my photograph unfortunately failed to make it into the selection of the 15 best photographs, just as I had predicted . I believe this happened for several reasons.

First, my photographs were taken with my phone because there were no cameras left for me to use. Without the ability to manually adjust the settings, both the overall image quality and the photographic techniques were poorly demonstrated, even though I tried my best.

Second, I believe I could have improved the lighting. While the photographs did achieve my intended effect to some extent, the lighting was not ideal. This was partly due to the limitations of the phone’s camera quality and partly because I was unable to position myself at the most desirable distance for capturing the photo—there was a road separating me from my subject.

Lastly, I think my angle of the subject could have been better. The angles in the photographs were not optimal, and improving this aspect would likely enhance the overall composition.

Sally Davies

Sally Davies’ photograph exemplifies the street photography style by capturing a unique, emotional moment that highlights everyday life through its focus on both the background and the subject—people. The image features a man wearing a mask, reflecting the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Set in New York City, the photograph includes details such as old graffiti, bicycles, and fire escapes, unified by a general theme of red. The setting evokes a mood of warmth, while the warm lighting adds visual depth and aesthetic appeal. Together, these elements serve to generate and evoke an emotional response, bringing a sense of warmth and coziness from the everyday lives of citizens to the audience.

Sally Davies’ photography is unique and stands out. It focuses on urban storytelling, treating the environment itself as a central character. Her effective use of lighting conveys a sense of calmness in urban spaces, distinguishing her from many other street photographers who emphasize human interactions.

Sally Davies seems to favor moments where people and their surroundings create a specific, warm, comfortable, and positive mood—achieved through the interplay of lighting and the subject’s connection with the background. This is evident in the following photograph.

Through the use of colors and background, particularly the juxtaposition of red and gray with the menu of delicious food on top, Davies created a general atmosphere of coziness. The color combination and the depiction of food are accessible and familiar elements to almost everyone. Furthermore, the brown tones of the food do not divert the audience’s attention. Instead, due to the strong contrast between the red wall, the ATM, and the ad cover against the brown menu, our attention is initially drawn to the red background. This intentional focus evokes a sense of coziness, guiding us naturally to notice the food. Additionally, the subject—the man—remains emphasized, as the lighting casts a bright glow on him, making him the only object highlighted in white.

(My favorite photograph from Davies’ collection) Through the use of strong color contrasts that create a subtle hierarchy, drawing more attention than the subject itself, a background that reflects lighting, and the juxtaposition of red and yellow, Davies created an overall atmosphere of coziness. The color combination naturally evokes this emotion in people. Furthermore, the light also contributes to this effect, as the reflection it casts upon the yellow and red background continues to evoke a sense of comfort.

If I were to give this photograph a title, it would be “The Afternoon.” I believe this title fits the overall theme because the word “afternoon” connotes brightness, warmth, and the yellow tones of sunlight often associated with that time of day. It also aligns directly with the photo, as sunlight is cast on the wall.

Overall, Sally Davies’ use of light and color is brilliant, as it conveys and evokes specific emotions in the audience. I will likely try this style in my own work and attempt to evoke specific emotions in my audience.

• When we go take photos, I am very, very, insanely afraid of getting yelled at or physically “abused.” A way to solve this fear is to simply realize there’s a tiny possibility for me to get yelled at, as most of them would probably leave. Even if they did ask me to delete the photos, I’d just delete them. There is no way for me to have any form of physical contact with them. Furthermore, I could even pretend I didn’t know how to speak Chinese. Therefore, they would not waste their time on me.
• It is difficult for me to take photos by presetting the camera settings. The best way to solve this issue is to practice more and get familiar with street photography. I could also use the fishing technique to adjust my camera’s settings.

Street photography is a genre of photography that records everyday life in a public place. It depicts the posture or mood of random people on the street and enables the photographer to take candid pictures of strangers, often without their knowledge.

The title of this project is Street Photography, and my aim is to use my photographs to convey a sense of oddness and mystery within familiar surroundings. Through my images, I want the audience to feel as though they’ve stepped into another world or traveled back in time—transported to a place where the ordinary reveals an unexpected beauty and intrigue. By capturing these elements, I hope to challenge people’s assumptions about urban spaces and invite them to find magic in the seemingly mundane.

To build my vision, I will explore photographs that employ techniques like fishing, centering, and out-of-place, conveying the theme of “out of place.” Each photograph will aim to uncover layers of visual storytelling, leading viewers to see the surroundings in a new light.

Ultimately, my goal is for this project to be more than just a collection of images; I want it to evoke a sense of wonder and curiosity in the viewer, highlighting the odd and mysterious elements of street life. I believe that doing so will inspire a deeper appreciation for the world around us.