Friends: The theme I explore in this photograph is that ISB children are willing to accept friends from diverse backgrounds and cultures and be friends with them. The composition in the picture is calm and peaceful, exploring the typical friend groups in elementary school. I used a close-up angle to capture the emotions and facial expressions of the children. I used the rule of thirds to keep the children in the center of the frame rather than overwhelming them with a vivid or eye-catching background. As the children were unaware that I was taking a photograph, they focused on playing; it is an excellent example of candid photography. The picture intends to show that friend groups are crucial because they let children find their new selves, identity, and uniqueness. Children gather and form into friend groups where they feel included. These groups have unique styles, norms, and leaders. In the photograph below, we can see how the children are listening and looking at the leader of their group. The photo required decisive movements, as I found it interesting at the moment how the leader (girl standing up) in the group faces one direction while all others face the opposite direction, showing the power and dominance of the leader. I incorporated architecture and buildings in the photograph. The pillars of the bridge above cause shade over the children, contrasting with the sunlight in the background. This contrast of the shadow and sunlight shows different values and tones. In theatre, the lighting will flash on the main subject to show it is essential. However, the photograph uses reverse lighting, where the shadow beams on the children rather than sunlight, showing everyday life.

Exercise: This simple image seeks a more profound meaning: daily routine is essential for health and joy. COVID-19 has made us so virtual, forgetting the importance of active and healthy living. We must get off our phones. This photograph reminds us that although exercise may take effort and time, everyone must exercise daily to keep themselves motivated and confident. The photograph required decisiveness since the picture captures students running in motion. The photograph is very abstract but synchronized, as the students look like they are running at the same pace and pattern. The picture was taken close-up while standing up, mainly focusing on one of the runners. The photograph was also taken after the student was aware that I was taking the picture, meaning the student’s smiles and gestures ” v ” were for the intention of the photograph, not his daily life, showing that this is a posed photograph. The background is vibrant with green trees, a blue sky, and a blue track that gives positive feelings. The image’s background is mainly conveyed with vividness but blandness because I intend to capture the student’s full emotions and facial expression, not bothering with the background. Looking at all the runners, they have a shadow in front of them. No matter how fast we run, we cannot be in front of a shadow. This might symbolize how we, as a society, daily chase a better self by continuing to apply ourselves to once-impossible challenges, such as post-COVID-19 virtuality and routine changes.

The life of a firefighter: The photograph was taken during the fire drill, which is usually full of panic and noise, but the facial expressions of the firefighters are calm. The firefighters risk their lives to save our lives at any moment and any second. People like us don’t dare to take these risks because of fear and worry. However, these firefighters take this risk as a chance, always alert to save at least one more life daily. For some people, being an upstander takes courage. Still, firefighters always fight for people’s lives in their everyday lives, showing that being an upstander for others may be an everyday occurrence for someone. In the photograph, the background is full of vividity, with primary colors like green grasses, yellow buildings, and red firetruck, while the firefighters are wearing navy blue clothes, showing distinctive contrast with the background. The oxymoron of the calm and peaceful composition of the background contrasting with the dominant and strong gestures of the firefighters shows the audience that the focus of the photograph is on the firefighters. The photograph is candid, where firefighters prepare for the fire drills. The picture is abstract, as it tries to capture the eager emotions of the firefighters and the rapid preparation of equipment from a close-up shot. Also, the angle of the photograph is leveling up to highlight the dominance of the firefighters, reflecting on our portraiture unit.