Eli Chu Capstone
Introduction
Before we begin, please take a look at the link above that contains the photos I will be referring to in this project. Feel free to spend some time viewing each photo individually.
This collection of pictures is reminiscent of a photo essay; however, they were not produced with a singular theme in mind. Rather, they are tied together by the fact that they came from me and we created and edited with my style. I chose these photos because they are my best and most recent works. Additionally, through my research I have narrowed the definition of identity down to 4 things. Interests, personality, life experiences, and values. Through analyzing my aesthetic choices, and the story behind each photo, I hope to explain how I express these 4 parts that make up my identity.
Interests
To start the project, I will talk about what I think is the simplest part that makes up identity. That being someone's interests. The interest that I am portraying in these images is my love and passion for cars. Cars have been a part of my life ever since I was a little kid. I collected hotwheels as a kid and I recently started collecting again last year. That was also the topic of the essay that got me into my universities. I frequently attend car meets and car shows whether alone or with friends. Needless to say, when you think of Eli Chu the second thing that comes to mind after photography is cars. I did not intend to solely take pictures of cars when I was taking these pictures, which is why they are a reflection of what I see and what I value. When given complete freedom, that is the activity or subject I seek and look for. I believe that is what makes something an interest.
Personality
These photos all share something in common, and that is that the main subjects are my friends. One of the main personality traits of a person are whether they are an introvert or an extrovert. I do identify as an extrovert because I feel happiest around people that I love. Being alone saps my energy whereas being with friends makes me full of energy. These photos were again not taken with the purpose of capturing my friends, but with the purpose of capturing something or someone that I loved. And that something or someone just happened to be my friends. I believe that my subconscious attraction to these people was what drew me to capture and immortalize the moment that I was in.
Life Experiences
I am incredibly lucky and fortunate that my life experiences may be influenced by the cultures of many different countries. I have visited more than 20 countries in my life so far and each one has undoubtedly left a mark on me and influenced my development as a person. These images were taken at my most recent vacation destinations of Italy, Japan, and Hong Kong. Alongside just travelling for fun, my family and I try to learn about each destination's culture and way of life when we visit. The respectful mannerisms of Japan, the fast paced metropolitan lifestyle of Hong Kong, the rich history of Italy, and the many other countries I have been to have definitely shaped who I am today. When travelling, I try to capture these moments with as much authenticity as I can. I believe that my job as a photographer is to accurately depict the lives of the subjects that I capture. And in doing so, I can better remember the lessons I've learned after visiting each country as I look back on the images I created.
Values
Even though I may not always live it out to the fullest, one of my core values is being present in the world around you. I saved this for last because I thought it would be the most difficult to explain. I recently purchased a film camera and although the experience is not a unique one, the process of slowing down really resonated with me. When you shoot film, you need to use a light meter and slowly adjust your exposure settings one by one whereas on a digital camera you can do it very efficiently while taking many photos in a fraction of a second. Slowing down caused me to be more in tune with my environment, and made me think about the decisions I was making in the context of the people and setting around me. Shooting on film has helped me stay grounded and practice what I preach. I look forward to shooting lots more film in the future so that I can better enjoy the time given to me.
