Thursday, March 8, 2012

Conceptual Images


Still Life
ISO 160, f/16, 1/10sec

I shot this image in an empty classroom at Dawson College, using an old projector. I turned off the lights, pulled down the screen, and laid my objects on the projector plate. I wanted to include the objects as well as the projection in my image, so I had to bring the projector close to the screen. The stone engraving was given to me several years ago by a friend of my mother's. The candle is a peace candle I recently received as a visitor in a local church. And the necklace is a post-mortem gift from my mother which holds her picture.

A few years ago, Dawson College became the site of a tragic shooting. Lives were unjustly taken. There was a lot of grief, anger, fear, anxiety and a struggle to resume normal activities. At the age of 61, my mother's life was unjustly taken away by cancer. Losing my mother has been marked by a lot of fear, anxiety and a struggle to carry on, which is why I used the stone engraving with the words "On the other side of fear, you will always find freedom", with the necklace and candle, representing presence, remembrance, prayer, and peace. The use of the projector is for two reasons. As I've grieved privately, at times I needed to share my grief and memory with others-- to make it public. But for the first year, when the pain was too great, I could only talk about it by disassociating myself from the reality of it-- like a reflection that doesn't quite do the original justice.


Narrative Image
ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/4sec

In this image, I stand at the end of a long hallway. I've opened the door to a room filled with light. Behind me are three closed doors. Through this shot, I'm trying to show the mystery, the unknown, and the element of surprise that we find in life as we face and make different choices.