Proposal

After hearing proposals from the rest of the class today I was inspired to select a topic that is more personal and relevant to my current life. I am selecting this topic based on a recent experience of mine that left me reevaluating a lot of things about myself and my friends and society as a whole. I experienced a situation where I felt extremely out of control.
I've always felt really comfortable with my sexuality and sex, but this experience was like a chemical reaction, in a way. An entirely new element has been created from the combination of events that took place in my life. However, I don't want the focus of this project to be on myself...I am merely using my experience as a guideline, as a starting point to relate to others and understand their situations. I want to research victim blaming and the stigmas attached to rape. Also, I am interested in the views of establishments such as the VCU student health department and I'm curious to work with them because I question some of their methods.

The Manger, Gertrude Kasebier

I chose this image by Gertrude Kasebier because the quality of light that she employs is beautiful. Initially, I was drawn to the abstract artists, because I can relate more conceptually to their work, but this piece, The Manger, is stunning. The soft focus is engaging and the same softness enhances the tenderness between the subject and her child. The light from the window hitting the white drape over the mother and infant creates this amazing diffused light that is just as effective as any studio lighting. The negative space in the background is clean and simple and doesn't draw any attention from the subject. It's a beautiful image.

Room

Living in a house with 8 people has taught me the value of personal living space. My room is my safe place in Richmond, where nothing bad happens and no negativity is allowed in. I fill my space with trinkets and collections that make me feel at home. The lighting and curtains make my room feel like a cocoon and my bed is seriously one of my favorite places in this whole city. My walls have all my favorite art prints and photographs and my bookshelf is full of what I like to read. I have my camera collection and lights that aren't visible. It's not the room in particular that makes me feel so at home, it's what I fill it with. My cameras, my pillows, my bed, my blankets, my bear, my books, and the paintings and prints that I love to see when I'm at home.

Photograph

The photograph that I chose to describe myself was taken in Lima, Peru. The backdrop is an intensely green river on an overcast day. I had just turned to look at my friends further up the bank when a friend of mine, Clayton, snapped the shot. We had been traveling all day and I was tired so the moment was really honest. I'm looking straight at the camera, wearing simple black hoodie and my hair was long at the time. I'm not very comfortable getting my picture taken, so there aren't many pictures of me being serious; usually I get awkward and make goofy faces or cheesey smiles. This photograph is a remnant of my experience in Peru and also a memento from that time in my life in high school. It's one of those images that will stick with me forever.

Human beings are social creatures.  We have a need to belong, even if it's just an illusion.  It would be extremely overwhelming if all human beings tried to get along with or expose themselves to all other human beings at once.  Since early human times people have had issues with acceptance and feeling the need to associate in groups.  People bring different traits and skills to the group and everyone benefits from the result.  We are competitive by nature.  When we place ourselves in these groups it is a natural selection of association.  We place ourselves with people who we benefit from and who we feel needed by because we can assist them as well. We seek out the best and brightest.  It's all evolution.  I do believe that we are all individuals, but I think it is important for us to work together and not to waste the skills and specialties we have acquired.  The individual is capable of so much, but together, great things are possible.