The thesis of this essay is that, especially on controversial issues, no viewpoint is inherently correct over others, as any could be supported. Thus, I decided to choose a point of major public commotion as my topic in order to capture these various viewpoints, and chose the ever-popular topic of nature. Specifically, I focused on the interaction between man (and its creations) and nature. To prove my point that there were various views that could be backed for any topic that involves any level of personal emotion, I provided 3 opinions on the aforementioned interaction in my photos: that nature and man were at odds, that modern life remained independent of nature (and vice versa), and that they actually work together in today's world. I generally found that this was most easily achievable through symbolic statements in my photos, and therefore decided to focus on those. My main takeaway from this project is that photos, especially with the use of symbols, can be used to display extremely powerful messages in more concise ways than words.
Area: Freshman Circle
Subject(s): Tree in rule of thirds area (Primary), Industrial elements in background (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: Title Photo -- main intent is to propose all 3 viewpoints at once to give the essay a direction; competition through the industry invading the tree's area, independence through the tree being in its own circled off area from the road, and cooperation through the partitioned area (man-made) protecting the tree
Area: Strip from Freshman Circle to Science Building
Subject(s): Telephone pole (Primary), Palm fronds (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: Proposes first point that nature and modern society are at odds with one another through the telephone pole being in the same area as the palm tree while looking very out-of-place
Area: Near Science Building (West)
Subject(s): Fire Hydrant (Primary), Hill with water tower (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: With the fence, displays a sort of "war" feeling between the industrial and the natural through their separation over the fence and the plant life of the hill seemingly taking over the water tower
Area: Near Library (West)
Subject(s): Willow tree (Primary), Fence (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: Suggests that man is trying to contain nature and suppress it, which is supported through the tree appearing much more beautiful than the fence, though the fence is what is focused on to emphasize the "containment" aspect
Area: Near Math Buildings
Subject(s): Starbucks cup (Primary), Plant (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: Seems to back the idea that human influence is just like trash invading plants' designated areas without their permission, attacking them for no reason other than negligence (and perhaps some maliciousness)
Area: Near Library (East)
Subject(s): Trash on the ground (Primary), Plant life in the shadows (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: Proposes the idea that, in this day and age, trash and other human creations "overshadow" (pun intended) nature and are taking it over
Area: Field near entrance to the school
Subject(s): Dandelion (Primary), Cars (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: Proposes second viewpoint of the project (that nature and modern life remain independent); field is the main focus, but there is a parking lot in the background totally separated from the field, suggesting that they are each totally apart from one another
Area: Near Teacher's Parking Lot
Subject(s): Grass block, Concrete block (+trash)
Primary Idea/Goal: Suggests through shape that nature (on the left) and the wake of man (on the right) are totally separate from one another, creating two blocks that keep the two away from each other without really interacting
Area: East Lawn
Subject(s): Tree (Primary), Trash can and boiler (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: Promotes the idea that technology and nature are apart, as the trash can and table are away from the tree, and the boiler partitioned off from the rest of the field through fencing, with cars once again being visible on the other side of the field in their own area not colliding with the field
Area: Near Science Building (East)
Subject(s): Machinery (Primary), Plant life (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: Proposes the least supported idea among the 3 viewpoints about the interaction of nature and humans: that they work together; the machinery, like sprinklers, actually help to facilitate the plants' growth, and the plants give them a place to exist
Area: Near Tennis Courts
Subject(s): Concrete ledge (Primary), Plant life (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: Supports the idea that modern technology and life in general assist nature through the plant life shown across the photo as growing both on the ledge and intertwined with the fence
Area: Lunch Area
Subject(s): Shadow hand (Primary), Plant (Secondary)
Primary Idea/Goal: As with the first photo, displays all 3 ideas, through the hand acting as either an ominous force to the plant, a reluctant midway area between the plant and the concrete, or a helping hand reaching out, in order to emphasize the main point of the essay once again that no opinion is inherently correct, as (depending on viewpoint) they could all be correct
