Final Post

Good Evening,

This has been an unusual set of circumstances for sure. I was disappointed to hear I would not be in the darkroom this term. I love immersing myself amongst the negatives and in the process of it all; I find it both meditative and exciting. However, I was thankful to be able to take this class, and appreciated having an excuse to go outside. 

I do believe I fulfilled my overall focus of documenting life during COVID-19, while taking inspiration from Rexer’s book. I hope to look back on these photos and see how well I preserved my life and surroundings through this pandemic. Seeing as this class was meant to be introspective, I do feel I grew as an artist over this term. Often, procrastination is my greatest enemy, and I found that getting into a rhythm with posting on my blog and making time for myself to shoot led to some good habits. As cliche as it sounds, there is a lot to see around you if you just look, and take the time to curate a story with what you have then search for the biggest, best thing. I’ve seen so much amazing work come from artists who look within themselves, a source you won’t find traveling to exotic places. You always have some sort of environment, and stories can be told wherever you may be. 

I’ve had a great time during this class; letting go of my expectations for my work this term allowed me to focus on what is actually here instead of what I wished was here. I am so fortunate to have equipment available to me, and getting further acquainted with my digital camera is not a bad thing. Still, I am looking forward to dusting off my film camera and getting back into the darkroom again.

Here are my 11 best images (couldn't decide which to eliminate!) from these 10 weeks, the majority black and white, but a few pops of color. Thanks to all who have read my posts and hopefully enjoyed my work. 

Glad you’re on the planet, 

Leena