INTRODUCTION
Our Explorations project had two parts. one where we could do what ever we wanted to, and our own poetry
In general, explain the Explorations Project to give the viewer some context about the project. Rewrite and summarize the following:
- “How can you find, explore, and/or expand your passion?”
For the Explorations Project, all Junior Freestyle students will explore his/her own passion and improve upon a particular skill set that addresses 21st Century Skills.
Opening
Have you ever taken a normal photo and imagined it turning into a completely different world?
For my Explorations project, I created a series of surreal self-portraits in Photoshop. I used normal photos from my life and changed them into strange, dreamlike scenes.
Why I Chose This Project
I chose this project because I wanted to get better at Photoshop. I wanted to practice using layers, cutting out images, blending photos together, adding shadows, and matching colors.
This project connects to creativity and problem solving because I had to keep changing my ideas when something looked too fake, messy, or tacky.
My Process
I made three final images.
For Part 1, I used a photo from the Ice Cream Museum in San Francisco. At first, I wanted to add a wanted poster, eyes, and words on the wall, but it looked too messy. Then I changed the idea into a creepy Backrooms-style scene. I added a dark exit, eyeballs, a ghost version of me, and a missing poster. The story is about a dad searching for a missing person, not knowing the place is a trap.
For Part 2, I used a photo from a restaurant at Westfield Valley Fair. I added tiny versions of myself around the ice cream scene. At first, the mini people looked fake, so I added shadows and used blending modes like Multiply, Lighten, Darken, and Overlay to make them fit better into the photo.
For Part 3, I used a photo from outside my house. I changed the chimney area into a shadow of a man looking up at the sky. I wanted the image to show love or admiration, but the hearts looked too obvious at first. I kept simplifying them until they looked more like soft heart-shaped marks in the clouds.
What I Learned
I learned that Photoshop is not just about adding more things. Sometimes I had to remove details to make the image look better. I also learned that shadows, color, lighting, and blending modes are important because they make surreal images feel more believable.
Ending
This project helped me see Photoshop as a storytelling tool. I learned how to turn normal photos into surreal images that feel strange, emotional, and connected to real memories.
REQUIRED: POETRY SECTION
- Introduce your Poetry. At a minimum, explain how a Poet-in-Residence came to help you learn about poems. What are your takeaways from the Poet-in-Residence visit? Explain the poem(s) you wrote and why you wrote it.
Insert a Quote block and Include any written Reflection about your poetry from English. - Creatively add your Poetry Production onto your Explorations Webpage.
- Embed any video on this YouTube playlist
- Showcase any image as a large image
- For audio only, use this method to feature your audio
Insert a Quote block and include your answers to the same questions answered for the Poetry Production
Q1: How well did your production convey the meaning and spirit of your poem?
Q2: What creative freedoms did you value and implement in your poem production? Why did you make those artistic and/or technical choices?