Sam Groves - Final

Reflection

At the beginning of this semester, my goals were to get a better understanding of working with color in a technical sense. This is especially difficult for me, but is something that I have been able to deal with fairly well. However, I really wanted to level up my color photography process.

I think that in a way, being under quarantine has been very helpful for me. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of downsides. I miss being able to make photos of things that I cannot make photos of under quarantine. That being said, it has made me think more critically about my subject matter and why I choose what to take a photo of. I have found myself becoming more resourceful, and seeing potential photos all around me.

Secondly, by being in my house so much I have had ample time to learn about and practice editing. I have watched countless YouTube tutorials and read several articles about working in photoshop and lightroom. I am taking a more honest approach to editing my photos, trying to get as much information out of them while thinking critically about what I want to say. Previously, I would edit many of my photos using the same process. Now, I look at each photo individually and assess what it needs to be as strong as it can be. 

My hope is that when things begin returning to normal, I will feel very motivated to go out and make more photographs, while using what I have learned in the last few months. I feel incredibly antsy to go out and work, and have been doing my best to do this safely. That being said, I look forward to the options that will open up as things get better.

Overall, I do not have any regrets about how this semester, or my college experience as a whole (I am graduating) have gone. I feel that I have taken a lot of oppurtunities, and I am grateful for that. I also think that remote learning has forced me to get used to taking initiative and forcing myself to learn and work, a skill that will be vital to my photographic growth after college. I am excited to see what the future holds, and hope to continue growing as a photographer and filmmaker.