Uncover invisibilized histories in collaboration with our partners at Friends of Minidoka. Focusing on the history of Japanese incarceration during World War II, this class will connect the past to the present, investigating human rights and social justice concerns. Explore Chinatown-International District and Japantown, hear first-hand stories from Minidoka survivors, and learn how photography is used as a tool for social change. Use your voice, camera, and the support of your peers to shine a light on important stories and issues yet to be told.
What inspired me to take these photos was the want to give some insight into how my mind and mental health can be. From being bright and imaginative to uneasy and disgusting even. All in a quick flash. How I went about conveying this was by using color and subject matter. The color represents how beautiful, colorful, and bright my imagination can be. With the subject matter, I wanted it to represent my mental health and how uneasy it can be living with it from day to day, that being me in the midst of an emotional state distracting myself of my own thoughts, as well as relating my mind to a box in an abandoned building. Burnt, rusted, and covered in residue. And with these components at play, I hope it can convey who I am as an artist and person.
An emotion is happiness, to see why it is something beautiful and unique, and an idea that it is very beautiful to see nature. When I was little I watched a lot about nature and my grandmother likes to watch nature shows and that's why I am inspired to take photos about nature. Yes, for me it expresses that in the world there are very beautiful things like nature, but people destroy them, and it should not be like that.
I learned that there are many different angles to see something more beautiful or rather that there are some angles that are better to see. My final piece is a nice view with different colors.
As a student at youth in focus, I have taken away so much knowledge of how to use a camera and how to show emotion through my photography. I have learned to become proud of my work and my art, finding it surprisingly easy to share myself through this program.
As a photographer, my pictures represent myself. Finding something without visible beauty and giving it beauty is what it's all about for me. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure.