I had originally planned to drive out to the ocean to photograph a Harrier (the hawks pictured) in a very specific pose; atop a rocky outcropping and perfectly positioned so the moon would rise behind it. During the course of that afternoon, I succeeded in capturing both the shot mentioned, as well as many more, as I witnessed this hawk roam his or her territory and interact with the surrounding animals. After I returned home to take a look at the photos I had created, I found to my surprise that the shot I had so carefully calculated, the one of the Harrier and the moon, was not my favorite. The picture above, a chaotic tangle of bird and sea, won my favor. This shot reminds me that so often the best things that happen in life are those that happen spontaneously and that as long as you roll with them, you’ll still have a great ride. Shot near Goat Rock on the Sonoma Coast.

This photograph captures a spontaneous moment during a family trip. While walking down the stairs, I couldn't help but notice the vivid carmine color of the steps against the backdrop of white surroundings. The stark contrast intrigued me, and I decided to capture the simple yet striking scene. This photograph is a favorite of mine, because despite it being a snapshot of something in everyday life, it highlights beauty in an unexpected place.

Not a cloud in sight, on a cold cold night. Taken in Squaw Valley, Tahoe, depicts the starry night above the Squaw ski lift without any light pollution.

I took this image to show a sense of comfort of being alone and reflecting on your own thoughts. I thought the title “Reflecting” worked well for this because not only is this subject reflecting on her thoughts, she is also looking at her reflection in the water. I took this photo using the rule of thirds because I liked the simplicity of it and felt like it showed off the water’s texture perfectly.

In my photos, I like the capture the beauty of nature. I like to capture the parts of nature that everyone knows about but don't pay attention to. Everyone knows about morning dew and the droplets on grass but do you ever take the time out of your day to stop and look at it? To stop and look at how breathtaking it can be? In my image, I wanted to capture the beautiful coloring of the grass and the water drops, the way the grass's purple and green contrasted with the water's blue. You can still see the other water droplets glistening in the background even though they aren't in focus. The blue of the droplets ties everything together. They pop out so much but don't distract you from the rest of the image.

To others, I am just another typical nerdy, introverted Asian girl. I always took pride in these stereotypes; after all, aren't they supposed to be "good" stereotypes? When being praised for my wits descended into high expectations of my school work, I began to change how I viewed myself. Soon enough, every flawed test score meant that hours of studying and staring at my screen were for nothing. In my photography, I try to capture scenes with a deeper meaning than "what meets the eye". The image represents the idea of perfection that I constantly chase, using the screen as a voice that I never had. This was not just to reflect on my thoughts, but of teenagers all across the world. When caught up in red numbers on a test, the mindset is not to "improve", but "to be". I want this image to express what I went through in a tough time in my life, and to let anyone else who relates to it know: you are not alone.

In my photo taken in during my trip to New York City, I captured the serene and peaceful atmosphere that contrasts sharply with the bustling streets outside. This cathedral, a grand and majestic place, stands as a tranquil oasis amid the city's constant noise and brightness. As you look at this photo, you'll notice the gentle play of light and shadow. The cathedral's interior, with its soft, muted light, creates a sense of calm and introspection. This is a stark contrast to the glaring lights and endless energy of the city. The darkness in the cathedral isn't cold or unwelcoming; rather, it's soothing, offering a respite from the sensory overload of the urban environment. The architecture of the cathedral itself is a marvel. Its towering arches and intricate details speak of history and craftsmanship. In this space, time seems to slow down, inviting visitors to pause and reflect. The cathedral’s quiet grandeur stands as a reminder of the power of stillness and peace in our often chaotic lives. Through my lens, I aimed to convey the feeling of stepping into a different world – one where the chaos of the city fades into the background, replaced by a tranquil, almost timeless space. This photo is more than just an image; it's an invitation to find peace in the midst of chaos, to appreciate the beauty of quiet moments, and to remember that even in a city as lively as New York, there are places where one can find solace and calm.

My aim in taking this photograph was to capture the feeling of dissociation and unsteadiness and demonstrate how pervasive they can be even when in an otherwise fun and cheerful environment, like an arcade. I chose to take this photograph at this angle to emphasize how in moments like these, it’s easy to lose yourself and spiral into a negative or unhealthy mindset. This angle helps to exaggerate the space to look and feel like it goes on into the distance for a long time, making the viewer seem small in comparison and as though the exit is extremely far away. Along with elongating the image, this angle also captures the semi-warped reflection of the machines in the window's glass, further adding to the effect. I chose to make the foreground of the image blurry and out of focus while it gets sharper and more in focus further back in the image to add to the off-kilter nature of it and show how disorienting this experience can be. The inclusion of reflection of the neon lights in the glass of some of the machines was included because they feel confusing and almost out of place, almost half in and half out of the photograph itself, which is similar to how I experience dissociation. The inclusion of part of someone on the right side of the photograph was to show how isolating this experience can be, even when there are people around.

Underneath several BART stations in the east bay there are hidden tunnels which I discovered out of pure luck. Each inch of these vast tunnels are covered in layers upon layers of graffiti art, glow in the dark paintings, ruminesent writings and confessions, and breathtaking murals, all completely hidden from view. After stumbling around in complete darkness for almost a mile because my flashlight died, I emerged in this chamber where light flowed in through a grate and took this picture on my iphone.

It was a cool autumn day as I walked toward the park and saw children playing on the monkey bars and was reminded of the nostalgic past of my carefree childhood. I peered through the monkey bars which invoked memories of when I was fearless and bracing myself to swing through the challenges of life. I used a 52 mm opening and a focal lens point of 2.4 to capture the clear defining front of the monkey bar and the blur of the framing monkey bars. Peering through the triangular window is like a glimpse of one's long forgotten childhood nostalgia. I spontaneously took this photo when I was reminded of my childhood days of hanging and trying to swing on the challenging monkey bars. I strive to add organic and playful features by capturing the photographic perspective and texture from the minutiae details of the aged metal monkey bars. My photograph depicts the artist looking within an everyday object and finding greater value of memories. The monkey bar is not a simple object but a nostalgic reminder of one’s childhood, which gives a creative and playful feeling when looking within the triangular opening. The azure and subtle orange represents the journey to the finish line. Your point of view is narrowed from the azure blue to the subtle orange. The eyes will be drawn to the clear monkey bars in the center of the image, but also see the blurry effect of the frame of the monkey bar.

While immersed in a project related to a specific element, I found myself pondering how light perceives itself in darkness. Seeking answers, I followed the illuminated path, which not only facilitated my exploration but also led me to a dimly lit back alley. There, I stood gazing at the sole light source, a window that radiated brightness in the midst of darkness.

The soft rumble of a waterfall is a chorus to my ears and makes me feel at peace. In this shot, I aimed to capture the essence of that feeling by depicting a secluded waterfall in the Mount Tamalpais area. This was done through taking a long exposure photograph to make the waterfall have a silk-like texture. To emphasize the hidden nature of the waterfall, I brightened the head-shaped rock in front of it and boosted saturation to highlight the greenery and tranquility of the scene. Waterfalls also represent resilience— even after experiencing a pitfall, water always recovers and continues on its journey. My personal experience resembles the resilience of water. This persistence of water reminds me of my own personal struggles and challenges I have encountered during my creative and academic experience. I occasionally have such pitfalls, such as the occasional bad grade or maybe losing my photo files. However, when I slow things down and stay calm, like when a waterfall empties into a plunge pool, I slowly recollect myself and move on. This photo also speaks to me about taking care of yourself — when things get too rough, slow down, take a breather, and once you’re ready, carry on.

My photo of these Pelicans to me, at least, represents life soaring by and nostalgia. The slight motion blur on the pelicans wings symbolizes how I can catch a glimpse of beautiful moments, but am never able to fully realize it until later when I think back on it in my head. Finally, the black and white of this photo shows how simplistic anything can be while still evoking so much emotion, in this case, a sense of nostalgia. I took this photo at the bolinas lagoon in early october, a hotspot for pelicans feeding and migrating. I knew that October was the start of the migration season for pelicans so I decided to try and take pictures of them. Getting up early in the morning, I sat outside in the whipping wind and cold for hours, hoping to get the best shot I could. When I left after 6 hours, I travelled back home to edit the pictures I had taken. When I saw this one, it immediately caught my eye. I loved the composition of the focused beak pointing to the other pelicans flying. So, I decided that this photo should be black and white, representing the simplicity of the photo.

In most photographs, models either gaze sadly and seductively to the side, or stare directly at the camera, smiling broadly. Both look fake. I wanted to create an honest self portrait, without fake smiles or false gestures. Setting out to work on this assignment, I found myself in my backyard, a place that I am at peace and content. I set up my tripod and camera and sat under my favorite Japanese maple tree. I took many photos, but my favorite was one where I stared directly at the camera, wholly and truly myself. I thought the image captured a part of me, but a little plain. I combined it with another shot: myself in profile, turned to look directly at the camera once more. I played around with the opacity, the hue, and saturation of both images. The result was me in my backyard, staring directly at the camera, looking out from myself, also looking straight at the camera. The background was maroon—a mix of red, representing the chaos of the outside world, and purple, giving it a touch of mystery. I was green, a color I associate with nature and peace—fitting since my name is Sirine, meaning peace. As a finishing touch, I added Arabic text to the background, surrounding myself with my North African culture. I liked the frankness of the image—I was staring at the world as myself, not pretending to be anyone else—and the meaning attatched to it.

At a local farmers market, a stand was selling jars of honey. All around that booth had dozens of honey bees trying to get into the jars of honey, which I saw as an opportunity to document.

When I heard of this competition, I was thinking of a place to take it, and my apartment building elevator was the first thing that came to mind. How could something as simple as an elevator make a thoughtful photo? I recalled memories of rainbows painting the walls. My friend was coming over that day so we could take some pictures. I invited my other friend as well, who was in a business coat that looked like an old lady had previously owned it. I decided then that she would be my model for this photo. She's a silly girl who can't take anything seriously, so to get her to be still for a moment was a challenge. I was able to capture her now calm outside, but her mind was probably still buzzing with jokes.

My photo is from the a hike in Bhutan. The cold day with the light snow made the hike even harder but when i finally saw the Tigers Den.

In the heartwarming photograph, a high school band takes a stroll down Main Street, their vibrant energy and passion for music palpable. Bathed in the golden glow of the noon light, the band members, dressed in crisp uniforms, stand tall with instruments in hand. Their faces reflect a blend of determination and excitement, ready to unleash their musical prowess. The brass instruments gleam in the light playing for all to hear and enjoy.

This pocket watch was a gift from my mom. While pocket watches are typically an antiquity associated with something like the 16th-century, I still find them really beautiful. The multiple watches and ghost-like effect were created using a slow shutter speed and a singular watch. The watches are positioned in various locations, yet each watch is connected to the unopened watch through the chain. To me, this reminds of the timelessness of this gift throughout time and how I will continue to cherish it.

On my way to school i saw a beautiful fountain shining in the sunny morning light. i had my camera and i only had one decisive moment to take this shot. this is the first ever photo i have taken that i am proud to call my own. it is called the fountain of youth because it represents the juxaspostion Represented by the dark and the light just like the pain and beauty in the world.