300 Clicks
Alexandra M.
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Middle school was a horrendous time for me. I was struggling with ADHD, severe depression, panic attacks, and loss of self-worth. "300 Clicks" was taken during my 8th-grade summer going into 9th. "300 Clicks" is the title of this photo because it is the number of shots it took to capture the tree frog you see presently. When my mom decided to plan a Spanish Immersion trip to Costa Rica, I was taken to Target to buy a brand-new Nikon D5600 camera. All the settings seemed daunting as I had never taken a photo before besides on my phone, but my mom insisted that we needed memories to look back on. Throughout the trip, I did not lean toward a particular setting for my pictures, hence why there is no specific art medium in my title. But I believe this photo truly represents my state of mind at that time: flipping through different dials, zooming in and zooming out, trying to find another angle that would perhaps make life work for me. Battling ADHD, I was horrified by sitting still for longer than 30 minutes. However, when I was focusing on my subject (the tree frog), I remained determined for two hours, patiently adjusting my angle, the lighting, the leaves, and my camera. Traveling to Costa Rica, I was at my lowest, and it seemed like nothing would pick me up. I was not excited nor did I want to go. But photography sparked a fresh light in me. I had more determination than I’d had in two years. The colors of this photo, to me, symbolize electricity and a new beginning. The pink flower, on which the frog perches, is a great representation of love. The frog I like to think is me, leaning precariously on the edge of admiration, not feeling comfortable enough yet to nestle closely to the unusual emotion, but still clinging to this newfound love of taking photographs. Over time, I found that I have become more comfortable and have realized that this happiness will not be ripped away from me. I now know that I deserve to have an outlet to express myself in a safe and productive way. “300 Clicks” is a story of my desperation and rebirth.
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I create meaning and share that through art, which invokes emotions in the people around me. It’s two things at once; it feels like a superpower. As an avid artist, I am moved by emotional depictions of experiences. I hope to capture that in my art by paying attention to the details I see and feel.
