Project 1: Picture Story — Curating Self (final product)

hMy Presentation on 31 August overview

Task 1: Me

Pictures used:

Sequence on presentation day 

Write up:

As viewed in a somewhat circular motion, the first image that should catch your eyes first should be the only landscape photo, followed by the other 2 portraits.

This series shows the outer and the inner me as a whole.

Shot at eye-level, this picture of my close up face, as seen from shoulders up portrayed a very open truth about me as everyone will view or first notice on the outside. Having my face in the centre of the picture shows no hidden part of me. Just like what is shown, I am someone bubbly, cheerful, all smiles, positive. And if people know me well enough, I can sometimes be quirky!

As you continue to know me in a deeper level, we continue the series in a clockwise direction. This shot is taken in an eye-level, mid-shot. I can be someone who does not share my life that openly to the people around me and would not be an open book. The warm hue in the second picture depicts me in my comfort zone, taken during a golden hour. The bun was kept in the picture as seen in the shadow to still keep the elements of me that most people will know on the outside, positive, bright, quirky. However, a silhouette shot gave a sense of mystery in who I actually am on the inside. Yes, people do know me, but there will be a part of me that they will try to pry open but fail to succeed.

Moving along, the third picture is taken strategically to only include half of my face in the focal point. As I am staring right into the camera, it shows that the outer me is also the real me, no jokes, no kid. Yet, the inner me is another side that will not yet be shown. Also, there are times when I am alone, things might not always be that happy and positive for me, hence the expression. I am not exactly a social butterfly because I crave my alone time to think, reflect and feed my soul.

Task 2: Object

Sequence on presentation day 

Write up:

The attention should be put on the middle picture in this series that depicts how I truly enjoy eating corn. In fact, I can eat it for any meal, I will not complain. Taken in a top down angle (high angle), close-up shot, it can clearly show the act of me consuming the cup of corn, using the rule of third.

It is significant to me not because it is my favourite food, but also because it reminds me of the people whom I love and also love me.

So a little back story, the number one snack my parents always get for me is a cup corn be it in Pasar Malam or when we are overseas and it continued till today. It has slowly become my favourite food. Even thinking and talking about it now makes me salivate! I receive it out of the love they have for me. And as it slowly becomes my favourite food, yellow also slowly became one of my favourite colours. Like its colour, it makes me happy and positive and I think this can explain my positive front as a person as well.

Why I choose to include the picture with the packaging and the plastic bag is because I often receive it this way, in this packaging whenever someone buys a cup of corn for me. It is how I see and receive it.

As for the picture of the full cup of corn, this is the sight that will never fail to make my day as I get ready to eat it.

The two shadowed background for the first and third image strives to tone down the lighting in the surrounding to put more emphasis on the brightly coloured corn in the cup. Also, it directs the audience attention first to the process of me eating the cup of corn, which was the effect I wanted.

Task 3: Place

Sequence on presentation day 

Write up:

The place I chose is my neighbourhood, my void deck. I have lived in Ang Mo Kio for as long as I can remember and it is a place where my family members always gather during special occasions as I have many relatives living around me in Ang Mo Kio as well. It is significant to me because it means “home” to me, a place I am very familiar with, a place I know at the back of my hand. This series of shots are taken at eye-level to show accurately the exact site I would see as I am on my way home.

This series shows my usual route home. It aims to guide its audience how it is like for me to go home, a place of comfort, love, familiarity.

This stairway guides me home, and is where my family members will meet whenever we retrieve the car or want to get a drink from the mama shop nearby.

The second picture has dark hues of colour, yet shows a bright vanishing point shows how it is like for me when I finally get closer to home, to comfort. The day might be long, tiring, but I know once I walk this stretch, it means home gets closer and closer, comfort gets closer and closer. The vanishing point created in the frame gave the result I wanted as the diagonal lines of the concrete floor and the ceiling directs the audience’s attention to the direction where I am heading, very much like I am taking my audience on a journey back to my home. However, this shot is taken with a slight tilt to mimic the motion of me walking back home. This effect shows a much clearer idea of how I am bringing my audience through the pathway home and gave the effect of me walking towards home.

The last picture shows a top-down angle of what my view will be like when home is closer than it is. The level I stay on, and the sight of familiarity. The level eight is where I live on.

Conclusion:

Overall, the journey of curating the three series has allowed me to reflect on what are significant to me in life and discovering my identity in the process. Besides, I got to experiment with different angles, framing and shots and realise how each image, when carefully thought through, can each tell a story. In a nutshell, it was a very fun process in creating the images and using them to tell a story about me.

I hope you had fun viewing them and got to know me a little better thought the images I have created!

Process