Photography has become a large part of our daily lives, almost as an essential or a 6th sense that we use without putting much thought into. Therefore, embarking on this journey has been eye-opening; imagine having to jot down and describe all the things you smell today, it’s so natural that focusing on it is strange. Pinning an idea through photography is tricky because each observer could view it differently. I came to the conclusion that a brief explanation of the concept is absolutely necessary for all photo portfolios because otherwise, my photographs could just be silly pictures of the sky. In my case, the concept says much more than the photographs because the emphasis is on an action and a thought prior to each photo. My photo portfolio shows that it is important to understand the concept to view the photos to their full capacity.
I began this portfolio thinking about a creative way I could capture New York City. The first thing that came to mind was how much I missed Bulgaria because, in comparison, Bulgaria has a sky. There aren’t any massive concrete skyscrapers blocking the blue sea above our heads. Many areas of Manhattan see the sun for an hour each day and after it moves along, the streets are in the shadows of the buildings. From this thought, I realized that the more you look up, the more you will notice the world that lives in the layer above our heads.
We’ve all seen New York City at eye level view. There is always something going on, you just have to look up from your phone or steer away from thinking about how much you have to do, and just observe. What happens if you look up though? There’s that blue sea again. It reminds me that there are greater things than that the tall buildings and the grey scenery. There is nature and it is above everything else that we encounter on a daily basis.
In addition to my nostalgia, I have a personal tradition that I follow every morning. It establishes the start of my day in a wonderful way. Living in Astoria, I get to relax a bit from the craziness in Manhattan. So, every morning, as I walk to the train, I look up and listen. There is a group of about 30 parrots that live on my block. Legend has it that they escaped from JFK over 40 years ago and they have adapted to life in New York City. They have learned to survive winters and not be frightened by the LIRR because their nests are located on the bridge that it goes along (see “Paths & Shapes). So they have also inspired me to look for them each morning. Their green bellies fly in groups over people who are zombified by their phones, too busy to notice nature around them. Looking for them each morning makes me realizes that there are such simple things in life that are so much greater than our daily problems and struggles. So, I decided to look up and take a shot of whatever I saw above me each time I remembered.
Individually, each photo is unique although they all have similar elements. The sky is the essential feature in each photo, however, there are additional details to observe. Each of these photos is a moment in itself. So much goes on in the sky, that each of these seconds caught in a photo is unique. More so, each photo has been a moment that I have taken out of my New-Yorker-speed walking to pause and look up, to observe what’s around me and above me. These moments have brightened up my day. There are many things to observe in a photo, and that much more if you stop to look up for a second.
As a whole, these photographs are a reminder and a suggestion. They ask the viewer to look up and see what they could find. Maybe my photos are boring; what’s so special about the sky? Well, take on the challenge to look up and find something more interesting! Or, look for pigeons that probably look beautiful flying around the Chrysler Building; at least more beautiful than when they step over you at Madison Square Park. Or maybe just notice that the sky is a different blue every day and there is something beautiful in taking a moment to distance yourself from eye-level life. These photographs are a collection of breaths during a busy day.
Using the photograph’s frame was very important in this portfolio. The frame helped me capture exactly what I wanted my viewers to notice. In any other place, the sky is so massive and visible, that it would probably take up the whole photo. In New York City, the view of the sky is limited and I used the frame of the photographs to cut out everything that doesn’t tell a story with the sky.
Roland Barthes’ concept about studium and punctum can be applied to my photo portfolio, however, the two elements are not extremely evident. The studium is the same in each of my photos. The sky makes the eye look and engages with the image that is seemingly simple. The punctum is the curiosity that can discover the details.
This portfolio has already done its job. I cannot count how many times random people that saw me take a photo of something high above me stopped to look at what I was looking at. Their facial expressions hinted that they were looking for something. They looked up with me but seemed oblivious to the subtle and innocent reason for my looking above. I admire their curiosity and hope that they keep searching. Looking for something in the sky is much better than looking for something on your phone. One of them is filled with possibilities, while the other is a dead end.
