Redefine reality.
Life being 5’7 isn’t an easy one. I don’t think many people look down on me metaphorically, but literally, almost everyone I meet is taller than me. For this self-portrait, I wanted to capture myself in the way that I would most likely appear to you in person; short. But after all, you know what they say, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight it’s the size of the fight in the dog, and I think that saying captures my personality perfectly.
Growing up, “no juice whatsoever” was a strict rule that was forced within my household. My parents weren’t the biggest fan of washing breakfasts down with orange juice or apple, as the 40 grams of sugar per serving wasn’t their biggest selling point. This devastated kid Yhali, the repetition of water and its bland flavor led me to believe that I was headed for a life of monotonous drinking habits, where the only time I would experience the sweet sensation of juice would be at the houses of friends. However, all of this changed when my father introduced Kombucha and La Croix to our fridge right at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, permanently altering the Sheba beverage game for eternity. Although I wasn’t the biggest fan at first, those two beverages quickly took the place of water in my diet. Today, I can’t go a day without a fresh and cold Kombucha or La Croix, and their presence in my life even inspired my Zenith project, The Moods. So, to all the parents out there, let your kids drink juice, even in moderation, as you never know the impact it may have.
Anger, as one of the Seven Deadly Sins, is considered deadly because it can lead to destructive behavior and harm others or oneself. This intense emotion is often associated with aggression, violence, and revenge and can cloud one’s judgment and rational thinking. For this month’s storytelling photo, I sought to capture the emotion of anger by using a still frame from my Zenith Project. In this picture, our subject is holding up a kombucha drink I created called “The Moods,” based on human emotions. This flavor called All the Rage, is the perfect embodiment of what anger, as an emotion, looks and feels like to me.
The city life is a hectic one. When you are surrounded by so many faces, it can be easy to forget that everyone has their own unique lives, with countless decisions that brought them to this very moment in time. Everyones story is different, and this photograph, taken at North Beach in the style of film noir, captures a lady writing the next chapter.
How can we manipulate light in photography? Since the birth of the camera, one of the key aspects of storytelling and composition which all artists need to consider is lighting. Both camera operators and photographers alike are able to “paint with light” to elevate their shots. Light is very much its own art form, and to honor that art form, I experimented with long-exposure shots. Doing so in this vibrant city photograph allowed me to not only capture the lighting of a specific instance but to tell the story of how light interacted with that environment to better immerse the viewer into the image.
The calm and blissful days of summer have slowly faded. Around this time of year, during the start of winter, most people choose to stay within the confinements of their homes. In my experience, I’ve found that the residents of sunny California aren’t too fond of the rain. However, growing up, me and my father always longed for rainy days. Something about the sound of water droplets hitting the ground serenades my soul and fills me with life. This storytelling image is a testament to the fact that, even in solitude, the rain can provide some much-needed comfort.
No matter where we go, color always lies around us; that’s what makes the world beautiful. For this photo blog post, I decided to strip downtown Mountain View of its vibrant colors, leaving nothing but a dull image that tells an unfulfilled story. Sometimes, the only way to appreciate color is to recognize its absence. Not everything can be seen in black and white.
For this month’s storytelling theme, I decided to take a picture of my pet parrot, Eli. Eli has been a member of our family since I was 10 years old and has been around with me through thick and thin. Over the past eight years, Eli has taught me how to take care of others and own up to my responsibilities; showing me how far Im willing to go for those I love. In honor of my best friend, I used my photography and compositing skills to capture Eli eating almonds, as happy as can be.
This picture of a modern Menora tells of my family’s culture. My dad was raised in a Kibbutz, a rural area within Israel where everything is communal. Growing up, his family would light an antique Menora every December during Hanuka, an object most memorable for its unique triangular shape. Now that my father is well into his adulthood, he took it upon himself to recreate the Menora from his youth, but with a more modern spin. To me, this beautiful piece is a tribute to my family’s name, one that tells the story of a forgotten past riddled with hardship but also shines a light on a hopeful future. Without our history and culture, we wouldn’t be who we are today.
To be free means to express yourself, in whatever way you choose. Being proud of yourself and being proud of your roots is what makes America the epicenter of freedom.