~Bliss~

I chose this image because it is simple and it represents the blissfulness of childhood. Children as young as I was when this picture was taken are at a stage where there is ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Kids are not believed to be capable of making their own choices, which is why parents or caretakers make them for them. They tell a child something is “wrong” or “right” after the action has been committed, but no one really takes the time to instruct them on thinking before acting, and how their actions not only affect them personally, but they affect others too. Also, I believe that physical or psychological ways of punishment are inefficient. On the other hand, positive feedback, or alerting the child about the consequences of their actions—i.e. someone’s feelings getting hurt, something broken that cannot be used anymore, etc.—can make a child grow intellectually and enhance his/her relationships with others. To portray children’s dilemma I chose to make a copy of my picture and flip it creating a kaleidoscope effect. In the image, I am reaching for flowers, but the smirk on my face proves that the photo was staged and that I was told to pose in a certain way by the grown up holding the camera—this is both a physical and symbolical action. I added a hallo-shaped sphere right above the girl on the left picture while I drew a couple of horns on the girl on the right, and blurred the yellow and red color of both of them respectively. The “good” girl’s dress’s color I altered until I found a very light pinkish white, while the “evil” girl’s dress reached a grayish dark red color. I enhanced the color of the flowers to a brighter pink tone, which draws the viewer’s attention to the center of the picture, the flowers—or the choice being made.

Tourists



EL MORRO, San Juan, PR. A new island is discovered by a group of human-like aliens. Natives form clan to defend their homeland.



***
I took this photograph in the summer of 2008 during one of my visits to my homeland, Puerto Rico. I visit twice a year and one of my traditions is to visit Old San Juan with my best friend each time I go. Laura, my best friend—who also shares my name, and I encountered a group of intoxicated Mexican tourists that were there for a few hours on one of their cruise ship’s stops. We ended up giving them a tour of the place, historical background included. “El Morro” is one of the most popular tourist sites in Puerto Rico so we took them there last. It is a big place and the inside of it is like a maze. Before entering “El Morro”, I decided to take a picture of the Mexican tourists, who were walking in front of us to remember the interesting experience, without knowing that such a beautiful photo was going to result from it. After a couple of hours of being tour guides, we decided to leave the tourists and do our own thing. If the tourists took a picture of us, they would probably have us stand next to a monument historical site and include themselves in the picture. If they captioned it, it would say something like: “Local girls we met on our trip to Puerto Rico.” Doing this exercise has changed my perspective on travel photography. I have always taken for granted the life story of whatever or whoever I captured with my camera, but there is more to an image than what is there, and its meaning should not be brushed over. I believe there is no other way of representing others in photographs, since we do not share their lives or the space they live in. Therefore, we have little or no knowledge of their background. As an attempt to change this, we could talk to a person before taking their picture, but some things are better left unsaid, since not everything we experience can be represented by words.

Metaphors in songs

The song I have selected is called “The Trees,” by the artist Rush. The lyrics are posted below. Essentially, the entire song is one large elaborate analogy, comparing the class struggle between trees to the class struggle between people. The beginning of the song directly states an innate struggle in society: “There is unrest in the forest, There is trouble with the trees.” Then it goes on to state the actual problem itself, a desire for more limited resources, whether money, land, rights, etc: “For the maples want more sunlight, and the oaks ignore their please.”

The rest of the song simply states how the tall oaks are stealing all the light from the low maples. The low maples of course want more light, and the oaks, satisfied with their plentiful situation do not understand why the maples simply cannot be satisfied with theirs. At the end of the song there is a resolution, with the maple trees forming a union and passing laws the make everyone equal. The laws are enforced by “hatchet, axes, and saws.”

It is apparent that the author of the song took a very Marxist perspective, advocating the rights of the large working class, the proletariat, against the small elite class, the bourgeois. As trees are photosynthetic creatures, whoever owns the means of production, light, is in control of the labor. So, quite literally, the trees form a union, just as people would, to help fight the powers that be. Though not all philosophies of Marxist theory necessarily advocate a violent approach, clearly the author of this song does as the laws are enforced by the “axes and hatchets.” All in all, the author is advocating that people should do whatever it takes, most likely by means of an uprising, in order to obtain an equal society. Overall, “The Trees” song, as a whole is a metaphor that reflects the fight for power between social and economic classes, which can be applied to today’s world.

 ~~~

"The Trees" by: Rush

There is unrest in the forest,
There is trouble with the trees,
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their please.

The trouble with the maples,
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light.
But the oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made.
And they wonder why the maples
Can't be happy in their shade.

There is trouble in the forest,
And the creatures all have fled,
As the maples scream "Oppression!"
And the oaks just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights.
"The oaks are just too greedy;
We will make them give us light."
Now there's no more oak oppression,
For they passed a noble law,
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe, and saw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWHEcIbhDiw

*Iconic Images In the Education Field*

      My field of interest is teaching and the facilitation of learning, so I have selected the image of the apple and ruler. Though the actual roles these two objects play in the classroom setting has changed throughout the years, when one sees them paired together the image that comes forth in their minds is unmistakably teaching and the classroom setting.

      The apple is often associated with knowledge. Some historians attribute the apples ties to knowledge because it has been used to describe hallucinogenic mushrooms; the knowledge aspect coming from the "enlightenment" during their altered state of mind that one receives from consuming them. The term “apple” has also been used to describe other kinds of fruit, nuts, and some vegetables, like tomatoes in Europe and potatoes in France. In recent history, the apple has been a gift given to the teacher. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it was common for children in some countries—including the United States—to give their teachers a polished apple, though it is considered cliché now.

      The ruler has had a very different path. Though its intended functional purpose was that of a measuring device, it also worked well as an instrument of punishment. Teachers and nuns, who were in charge of most private schools used them to whip and strike students who were bad or unruly. Now, its common association with regards to its role as an iconic image is that of a device that facilitates learning and demonstration. It is an object found in nearly every classroom and can be used to show many things, specifically mathematic/geometric concepts.

      There is a sort of irony that the ruler and apple would be paired together in this image, in the sense that the apple is a bribe, and the ruler is a punishment. That these two separate but related actions are paired together is a testament to their Machiavellian nature. After all, the teachers do have an inherent power over their students, especially in lower level education where the students have no choice but to subject themselves to their “rule.”

"Othering" in American Media

When visually representing war, writers often limit themselves to a biased portrayal of their own side; they do not mind denigrating the other side's image, but when it comes to their own, things are often sugar coated. We have all browsed through pictures of current and former wars, whether online, on the news, or in a newspaper. A factor that all of these images or composites of images (videos) share is how they choose to represent the subjects or two sides involved in a conflict. The artist/journalist chooses whether or not to show something, and how, which affects our reaction to the image. Laws established by society regarding the way war is portrayed are subconsciously applied by composers of this “war media”. In American culture, we can observe that images—still or in motion –censor the misfortunes of American war victims by “covering up” their faces and limiting the graphic content included in the frame. This censorship is done to save the American public from seeing their own people in such disgrace. It can be humiliating and at the same time painful to see a family member, friend, or neighbor in such an unrecognizable, gruesome state. At the same time, the “other” fathers, sons, and husbands are being explicitly shown in degrading images that make your stomach turn. While there are restrictions that apply only to American subjects, foreign cultures lack these, and are being disrespected through American media. Susan Sontag sums it all up when she states that "the frankest representations of war, and of disaster-injured bodies, are of those who seem most foreign, therefore least likely to be known. With subjects closer to home, the photographer is expected to be more discreet." (Sontag, p. 61-62) Clint Eastwood also plays with this issue as he attempts to consider the “other” perspective in his film Letters from Iwo Jima (2006). He makes an effort to illustrate the Japanese point-of-view of the Battle of Iwo Jima, but fails at doing so as he limits his boundaries to those set by the American society. Eastwood fulfills the expectations that Sontag discusses by graphically showing Japanese soldiers committing suicide, being burned alive, and getting blown up by grenades. On two occasions he even shows a soldier’s detonated arm gushing blood, and another’s face which had been blown off almost completely. Meanwhile, even though Americans are not the main focus of the film, they still appear battling the Japanese and never do you encounter them in images as macabre as the ones presented involving the Japanese. Even when an American soldier is being brutally stabbed by Japanese soldiers, the camera turns away before the American dies. He is never displayed dead, and neither are any Americans in this film.

Facebook = Life

Facebook has modernized inter-human relations, making it easier to maintain friendships.

Facebook is a way for people to facilitate socialization with others. Usually, when we spend time with friends, we don’t mix together people of different subcultures. It is unlikely for a person to be seen hanging out with co-workers and classmates at the same time unless they had class with someone they worked with. Facebook helps collapse those social borders, while at the same time allowing people to be themselves as they lose the notion of the need to behave a certain way according to what subculture they’re dealing with. Collapsing these social borders can sometimes be problematic according to the content you choose to display. You might post information that is not meant for some people to read. For example, posting your cell phone number on your information page with the intention of helping your good friends reach you, when the “creeper” you met at your friend’s birthday party can have access to it. Hence, it is up to the individual with what he or she decides to reveal to the world. Also, the lack of social borders can arouse conflict among people of different beliefs as what is being publicized is not being filtered depending on a specific audience, because such thing doesn’t exist. When we compose visual or written material to display on Facebook, we don’t particularly think of someone in specific to dedicate our message to, instead, it’s like there’s an unknown audience—the world.

“I personally had an experience where several costumers from my job added me as a friend on Facebook, I didn’t find it weird at all, but when one of them crossed the boundaries and called me to a phone number they found on my info page, I realized it was time to take better precautions with what I post.”

“I actually did have a class with one of my co-workers in the past. But when I decided to host a lasagna night and to invite my neighbors, best friends, and roommates, I found myself in an awkward situation, in between people that I shared different interests with. I have to say that social borders are easier to break on Facebook.”

Facebook is a form of memory making and tracking. One of the most significant advantages that “Facebooking” has over other forms of self-expression, like scrapbooking is that it is cost-free. Putting together a scrapbook might cause you about a hundred dollars, if you do a job well done. Posting pictures on Facebook is free, and while you have a limited amount of pages to work with during scrapbooking, you can upload as many images as you want in seconds through Facebook. If for unnatural causes you lose all of your photographs, digital ones will forever remain on Facebook, and they do not take up any space. Also, pictures can be looked at and appreciated by other people. Friends with mutual pictures can share them without having to print out multiple copies and can comment on and cherish special moments together without the need of physical presence. This feedback, among other virtual conversations, whether it be through written text or video, creates new memories for friends to look back at through the Facebook “Wall-to-wall” setting.

“My guy best friend and I used to passionately dislike each other before we became friends. We had a big argument and insulted each other through Facebook. Sometimes I look back at our ‘Wall-to-wall’ and laugh at the stupidities we said. Back then, I would have never imagined that a great friendship was about to blossom a post away.”

“The best roommates I’ve ever had were the ones I had sophomore year. Lisa was out of her mind and well, Allison and I became best friends. Writing and posting crazy videos on each other’s walls were the greatest moments we shared while being bored at home. When we went out, Lisa would always be the designated photographer, and before the night ended, we all had pictures to comment on and ‘untag’ ourselves from.”



1995

 

1996



2008

 

Allison, Lisa and I (2008)



2009



2010



2010

2010

El Yunque (2010)

Tequila and Bailey



Bailey



Tequila & her 1st litter



Maxwell



Watson

What we leave behind when we grow up...

What we leave behind when we grow up...

       Every day after school I would go to their house, watch their TV, eat at their table, sleep on their beds, and play in their backyard. The whole house was covered with smooth, white tile, which would always be cold regardless of the 90 degree weather outside. The coolness of the house mainly depended on the breeze blowing, which was very likely with the big glass doors that led to the backyard and the innumerable amount of glass windows, which also made electric light unnecessary. A ceiling fan decorated every room of the house, and the light coloring on the walls provoked in me a sense of peacefulness and tranquility. I felt safe. It was my home, still is, and always will be. I can close my eyes and still manage to visualize every detail of this house. I can still see that little girl playing on the swing set that Santa Claus brought her that one Christmas, and I can still see my grandma making us asopao de pollo with a side of yellow fried plantains and of course, a nice, cold glass of chocolate milk.

I

“Mucho juicio” (“Have good judgment”) said my grandma every time either my sister or I would leave the house. These words would almost always be followed by an “Oh my god, grandma, I know!” or “Like I already don’t have good judgment!” There were plenty of annoying things my grandma told me, but this phrase was the most annoying one I had ever heard. As a teenager, I could sense distrust, though for the most part it was actually non-existent. I thought, “why on earth would grandma assume that I’m looking for trouble?” and even if she was just worried about me being exposed to it, “why would she not trust me?”

II

“El que no oye consejos, no llega a viejo” (“Those who don’t listen to advice, will not make it to elderly life”) is still one of my grandma’s favorite lines. She uses it whenever she senses that her “suggestions” are not being taken into consideration, and by “suggestions,” I really mean commands. My grandma is indeed a very dominant woman or what in the animal world is considered an “alpha female.” Therefore, she cannot stand when things do not go her way. My grandparents have been married for almost 47 years now, so you can only imagine what kind of personality my grandpa has—of course, the absolute opposite!

III

“God bless you.” Enough has been said. You could say almost every grandma in the Christian world says this to their grandchildren. But I can definitely sense the awkwardness of these words being spoken into my ear as part of the weekly or biweekly phone routine. My grandma doesn’t seem to acknowledge the fact that I have given up the Catholic religion for several years now. I guess she still has hope that I will all of a sudden enjoy attending church again or she just does not understand the concept of someone not believing in God. But even though I don’t believe that an actual god is giving me a blessing, isn’t having a grandma to tell me these things a blessing in itself?

IV

“The Christian Boyfriend.” Of course, my grandma wishes that I found for myself a Christian boyfriend. I believe she assumes that a man of Christian principles guarantees a good boyfriend, husband and father. But can’t someone be all of these things and be Jewish, Muslim, Agnostic, or even Atheist instead? I never really took her seriously for this, since I believe her to be an open-minded person, and I wouldn’t doubt that she would accept anyone I chose to bring into the family.

V

“Without an education, you are nobody,” is probably the oldest quote belonging to my dear grandma. My family places a high value on education, and being raised by my grandmother, I did hear this mostly coming from her. She would always say that you should finish college first before doing anything else with your life. You should not put a man before your education—no marriage, pregnancy, “taking a break from school,” and definitely, absolutely no fooling around or wasting time that could be spent studying. My grandpa and her even have been taking over the burden of paying for my college education to lessen my stress so that I can focus on school.

VI

“You’re crazy like your mother.” My grandma seems to have a problem with my liking of animals. According to her, I am as obsessed as my mom, and have no self control when it comes to getting and keeping animals. She always says that you should only have “as many as you can support,” but even if I could afford to keep twenty dogs, she still wouldn’t be happy about it. Shopping, on the other hand, is another story. If it has to do with shopping, you can never have too much of it with my grandma. Just like my mom and I share a passion for animals, my grandma and I share one for shopping. It is always nice to have a grandpa that is willing to put down some money to complement a perfect shopping experience.

            But these words never had as much meaning as they do today. My grandparents have had a great impact in my life. If it wasn’t for them I would not be standing where I am today. When I think of my grandma and one of her ridiculous quotes, I can’t help but smile, as I remember those days, when I used to take life for granted, those childhood days where all I wanted to do was grow up, but all growing up really meant was leaving moments behind.

***

       As a reader, being presented with just images would leave me troubled. It would make me wonder about where the pictures came from and what is their story and purpose. In this case, my images do not suffice independently, as their purpose is to complement the text and to give it a more personal perspective. Although my images seem to portray a similar theme, they may be misleading. You would expect to see these images as part of a family photo album, without having any particular connotation. By adding images to my narration, I turned the reading of the text into a more interactive, personal experience. As the viewer reads my text, he/she would get a visual image of the main character and setting, which would help in the understanding of the narrative. First-person narration adds to the personal outlook created by the pictures themselves. Finally, by choosing “Claire de Lune” by the impressionist composer Claude Debussy as background music, I am setting the mood for the reader. This song has a relaxing melody that induces nostalgia, and the absence of lyrics help the viewer stay focused.