unexpected

words by L, photo by T

The other day T had told me about her first photo assignment and some of her ideas to carry them through. She had a series of 5 images to take. And because it's fun to act like a student again, I brainstormed my own ideas, but felt like my ideas were a pretty conventional and ordinary. I was so anxious to see what she would come up with. She showed me all of them except the one for "landscape" and I knew she was running out of time, even daylight. In my mind I was a little bit frustrated that she waited so late to complete them all. She told me she might go over to the abandoned house. My first thought was "no, that's not what the assignment is" but I kept my thoughts to myself.
here was her assignment:
make 5 color pictures using a digital camera from each of the following topics. you must shoot at least five images per topic, but turn in only one image per topic for critique. you will also have to turn in a digital contact sheet.
1. never again: make a photograph of something fleeting, something temporary. try to photograph an image that can never be photographed again. attention to light and time.
2. monochromatic color: make a photograph containing variations of only one color.
3. landscape: make a photograph that relays the emotional connection you do or do not feel with the environment
4. light and texture: use the ability of light to enhance a subject. make the ordinary extraordinary by allowing us to see something peculiar, obstructed, or intensified.
5. documentary: document a person, a moment, an event, or a place. pay attention to environment and detail. the information recorded should say something about the place, time, or emotional experience of the chosen subject.

When I pulled this image up late that night, I immediately smiled, clapped my hands in excitement, and said to myself, "oh Taylor!". I smiled to think, "why did I doubt her ability, even for a second". I expected her to do well, but it was unexpected just how. I have to say she amazes me – that's a mother talking. But apparently her teacher was astounded as well, and told the other students to take note of how T used light in all 5 of her assigned photos. I also doubt that the teacher expected such conceptual thought.