Keep on striding.
My stepfather isn’t a fan of casinos or Las Vegas, but when we took our trip to the Grand Canyon, we visited this casino to see the sights. Inside, I looked up to see these glass flower creations decorating the ceiling of the casino’s lobby. Putting aside the negatives of Las Vegas, I think of these colorful creations as representing the diverse innovations we will develop with time. I took this photo using a shutter speed of 1/60, an aperture of 2.5, and an ISO of 400.
This scene was from a weekend where my parents and I were preparing a feast of dishes for my aunt and uncle coming over. I find it interesting how the focus is on the plates rather than as one might expect it to be on the people. This photo was taken at shutter speed 1/60, aperture 3.2, and ISO 800.
Current events in my life include cold rain and badminton games.
I captured the photo the tulips heavy with dew using a shutter speed of 1/1000, an aperture of 4.0, and an ISO of 100 during a weekend trip to Filoli Gardens.
The game photo was taken by my friend and teammate Kira in the sports mode at a shutter speed of 1/400, aperture of 1.8, and ISO of 1250. Technically photo blogs are supposed to be original photos, but I wanted to include her photo because it includes two of the best people I’ve come to know through the team. I’m wishing them to have the best moments in their senior year!
I’m two years out of taking lessons, but piano won’t stop being part of my soul. During the Ski Week break, I’ve had time to dig out some of my favorite pieces from years prior and try my hands at them again. Each circle and reminder I scribbled down are marks of my journey in learning this piece. This photo was taken at a shutter speed of 1/60, an aperture of 2.2, and ISO of 3200.
When I browsed through the gift shop inside Old Mission Santa Barbara, my eye was caught by a display of handicrafts, including this miniature sculpture. As a younger child I loved making crafts and was inspired by watching YouTube videos sharing the process of creating clay trinkets that were miniatures of food and such. After taking Architecture class, I also built small, accurate-scale models of a playground and the interior frame of a home. Projects like the one in my photo awe me because I admire all the work and care that its craftsmaker put into creating the tiny details that make it unique. I took this photo using a shutter speed of 1/40, aperture of 4.5, and ISO of 800.
Jin (gold), mu (wood), shui (water), huo (fire), tu (earth). I remember the basic elements of our world through this heuristic in Mandarin. It is slightly different from the elements most frequently depicted in American culture, which are Earth, fire, rain, wind, and spirit. Luckily, this photo represents an essential element of both worlds! I was entranced by the intricate pattern of the concentric rings of air bubbles, trapped in an elongated spike within the ice. The icy ray of blue at the left, behind my hand, further reminds me of mystical stories constructed around our elements, like the ice sword Excalibur.
I took this photo using a shutter speed of 1/80, an aperture of 4.5, and an ISO of 800.
I am grateful for my freedom: to choose how I spend my time, what school I will attend, and where I’d like to live among many other factors of my life. My conditions are far from those of this colorful crane, seeming to be trapped, entangled by the spool of green decorative wire. The scene reminds me of ocean life, dolphins cut by fishing lines and geese trapped in nets. I’m determined not to have a noose around my neck, and others’ if I can help it.
This photo was taken using a shutter speed of 1/100, aperture of 5.0, and ISO of 200.
This fall I traded land sports for the thrill of water polo. Spending every late-afternoon practice with these players, I’m inspired by their skill, courage, and willingness to learn. I thought this photo was especially interesting because as the Wilcox player in the foreground is reaching for the ball, there is a thin layer of water clinging to her hand, giving it a plastic look. I’m excited to continue experimenting with sports photography in the future.
A pile of cleaning tools lie, neglected, for most of the time. This photo represents my habits well. I have the intention of keeping everything organized, yet my tasks and living space often remain forgotten and disheveled, like this pile of brooms. Perhaps a New Year’s goal!
I took the photo using a shutter speed of 1/80, aperture of 3.2, and ISO of 100.
At our award ceremony for Scioly Nationals, we honored the seniors! Suhrith, Olivia, Kavi, and Brian (invisible) made it possible for the team to win second place in the entire nation – from our 7th place title from last year. This photo represents their exit from our team in a physical sense as they graduate, but they will be connected within the team community for longer times to come. We have gotten to know each of them better through team dinners and workshops through the season; they’ll be missed!