Transportation
In this project, I chose to create a photo series that focused on transportation. I utilized a Sony RX 10 iii DSLR camera to explore the theme of transportation – by looking at the various means people use to get around Boulder such as walking, biking, cars, and public transportation. I attempted to explore these objects from non-traditional angles and compositions, to provide a different perspective.
By seeking out unique viewpoints such as underneath or above a car, I also tried to capture the surroundings or environment around the subject. This can be seen in the overhead shots of the blue and red car, which depict the strong texture of the ice and snow covering the top of these vehicles. Cars are so often depicted simply from the front or back, that these overhead shots provide a glimpse at a slightly less common angle. The shots of the grill and bumper also display my desire to step outside of the box for a standard composition, as I tried to highlight the interesting textures of the vehicles.
Another major theme for this project was to explore how transportation differs between the more tightly populated urban environment and the backroads in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. This can be seen in the various environments for the photographs, as the landscape drastically changed between two locations. I also documented the roads from an up-close and birds-eye perspective, to demonstrate how people and vehicles occupy spaces differently.
While I had some loose parameters for this project, I mainly wanted to explore different compositions in general. While respecting the rule of thirds, I explored as many out of the box styles as possible. This can be seen in the various shots of the bicycles, particularly with the triangular bike parking stations. In the photograph of the red bicycles, I tried to have a clean balance of color and open space in the composition.
As I looked for a way to push the theme further, I chose to explore how we as people imagine transportation. To accomplish this goal, I created a diorama with various seasons inside a lightbox and documented toy cars throughout the creation. I utilized the Sony RX 10 iii DSLR camera to capture 20 photographs, while trying to maintain consistency with some elements from my previous work. Naturally, the images differed drastically from the initial phase,yet I continued to focus on composition and texture in my attempt to capture the less traditional angles of my subjects.
The latter half of this project draws influence from photographer David Brandon Geeting, based in Brooklyn who has created his own aesthetic style by utilizing key elements of photography such as lighting and vibrant colors to create a fantasy-like feel to his images. David demonstrated that his technique remained versatile and could be applied to an endless list of subjects and situations – ultimately leading to a successful career with many big-name clients such as Adidas, Comme des Garçons, The New York Times, and TIME to name a few.
When organizing my diorama images, I arranged them to follow the seasons as they would transition naturally in Boulder. The key things I tried to push with my photographs were textures, color, vibrance, and a strong focus in the image. I frequently tried to draw attention to different parts of the Hot Wheels cars or the diorama setup. This study of transportation through still image does so in both an intense studio setting as well as outside in the natural environment. The intention was to
With this project, I hoped to provide some sort of loose narrative alongside the photo series, done in both the way in which I organize the images and to further explore the theme of transportation. I want to demonstrate that while the mediums for transportation change, as do the people who use them, the overarching goal is to get from one place to another – and each of these images illustrates ways to do just that.
