Project 1: Picture Story – Curating Self

I discovered quite a few interesting things and recounted some fond/not-so-fond memories for this project, so all in all I think it went well.

TASK 1 – ME

Task 1 - 1
Taken somewhere along Haji Lane. I previously had asked my friends about what defined me. Strangely, what defined me was my lack of presence. So I remembered how long exposure shots could leave faint copies of people and that’s how I achieved this shot. I moved around in order to create motion in the shot and make it seem like even though I was barely there, I wanted to be noticed.
Task 1 - 2
Taken at home. This shot was inspired by Lee Friedlander and his style of inserting himself into his own photos without actually being inside his photos. I never really like being in front of the camera since I was young. Which explains why my family photos don’t actually have a lot of photos of me. The pictures seen here are the few rare ones with me inside. You can see other frames in the corners, those are for my brother.

 

Task 1-3
Taken at a pathway near my house. Another shot inspired by the works of Lee Friedlander. Waited really long for the sun to get bright enough and for it to be less cloudy/hazy so my shadow would be more distinct. I raised one of my hands in this photo cause I was pressing the camera button. It took multiple shots but this is my favourite one. I like the texture the pathway provides too, like it’s a grainy photo but not really.

 

 

TASK 2 – OBJECT AND REPRESENTATION OF SELF

Task 2-1
A shot at home. I tried to capture how I took care of my army singlet in this set. In this picture, I’m taking the singlet down after it’s been dried from hanging. The singlet was something given to me from high up the food chain in the Singapore Army and in some sense, this photo represents how I continue to receive and care for it daily. The focus might be slightly off and it may appear grainy but it’s a theme that I wanted to capture for this set. I think it’s more obvious in the next photo.
Task 2-2
A shot taken at home with the whitest wall in my house. I wanted to capture the contrast clearly so one can see how much the singlet and I have gone through. The stains come from general wear and tear, except for the big yellow stain on the chest area. That’s from a stray paintball. This set of photos is grainy and slightly off focus to just show how these objects and memories of them will deteriorate over time. But they still hold meaning for us.
Task 2-3
This shot is on my bed, where I usually fold my clothes. I put a second singlet at the corner to show what the original color is like. The one that I wear a lot is faded, just like some of my memories that I have with the singlet. But I definitely still remember them.

 

TASK 3 – MY WORLD za warudo

Task 3-1
This is the entrance to Bishan Park that is closest to my house. I wanted it to be the first photo so it’s like I’m bringing you into the park. The little girl appeared with perfect timing as I had just set up, so I managed to get this shot of her riding on her cool scooter thing. I liked the lines in this photo because it makes your eyes travel deeper into the park.
Task 3-2
A shot from the bridge into Bishan Park. I wanted to capture the size of the park from a pedestrian’s point of view. It didn’t use to look this nice. The small river that runs through the photo used to be a massive monsoon drain made of concrete. Now it still does the same thing but with AESTHETICS. I used to catch bugs in the grass patches near what used to the monsoon drain.
Task 3-3
This is an area inside of Bishan Park. It hasn’t changed at all. I never understood why the 5 paths leading into it had to meet in the center but it’s a nice place to relax. This is also one of my family’s favourite spots because they got to shake the late Lee Kuan Yew’s hand during Chinese New Year. I was standing with my hand outstretched, waiting for Mr Lee to shake it but he passed over me and shook my brother’s hand instead. It’s one of the many memories I have in this park. All the shots in this set were taken with a wide angle lens so that I could capture as much of the park as possible to share.

That’s all I have to share. I hope you enjoyed reading and looking at my photos!

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