This is Yasmin, gently holding the hand of her son as they enjoy a beautiful day. You can see the stack of books she has checked out from the local library, as well as her head covering, indicating that she is a practicing Muslim. Her expression is cheerful and natural, revealing her genuine kindness, and her stance has quiet assurance around her, which communicates her confidence in who she is. I admire her sincerity, which makes her both a good friend and an amazing mother.
For this photo, I got very low to the ground, and filled the frame with the rustic, brown color of a drain cover and its surrounding concrete. I played with the angles of the shadows made by the grid of the metal grate and the framing of the grate by the seams of the concrete blocks. With not much else to look at, the viewer is forced to focus on the drain cover, which would otherwise go unnoticed. It may be dirty and ordinary, but in this moment, its accidental geometry caught my attention and struck me as something worth sharing.
For this photograph, I was inspired by how a building in the sun was reflected by the windows in the shade. This added a layer of depth that brings your attention to the lines of the building, especially as the sloped roofline in the reflection is framed and divided by the grid-like windows. The slightly irregular reflections add interest to an otherwise very geometric building. In photographing this building, I was careful to balance the lighting and focus so that the building in the shade came out clearly while the reflected building in the sun remained the main subject.
For this prompt, I photographed a bowl of avocados with the lighting at a low angle, which emphasizes the bumpy texture of avocados. This represents how my culture has been shaped by living in the Bay Area. I value the temperate weather, diversity of neighbors, and healthy living that California offers me. As I’ve grown up here, I’ve had many neighbors and friends who have avocado trees. Some of my favorite foods my latino friends have shared with me, including guacamole, have avocados as a main ingredient. Also, the access to local produce here allows us to eat more fresh food. I am grateful that I live in a place with access to this amazing food.