Running head: THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY 1

The Art of Photography

Claire Aihara

Arizona State University

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Abstract

Through studying and researching the art of photography, I have gotten a better look into

the reasons why people pursue this form of art, as well as how it has shaped them into the people

they are today. Through my own research, interviews, and hands on investigations, I was able to

learn more about photography itself and the power it has to motivate and help people in different

ways. By talking to individuals who are very invested in photography, I have learned that

photography was not only a creative outlet for them, but also an escape from the hardships they

were facing.

Keywords​: Photography, inspiration, motivation

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[The Art of Photography]

Section 1, Question Bank

Through researching the art of photography, I decided that I wanted to focus and find out

more about the reasons why people decide to capture specific moments through a lens, as well as

dig deeper into what images and ideas the different photographers try to portray through their

photographs. I want to go in more depth about what photography can mean to certain

individuals, and how it has influenced the way that they view life and everyday occurrences.

“Central Research Question”

➔ What inspired you to pick up a camera?

“General Inquiry/Observation Questions”

➔ What kinds of images are your favorite/preferred style to take?

➔ What messages (if any) do you try to portray through your pictures?

“General Interview Questions”

➔ What does photography mean to you personally?

➔ What is your favorite photo that you have ever captured (why)?

“Interview Questions for Specific People”

➔ Are there any people who have particularly made an impact on how you take

photos?
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Section 2, Sites of Inquiry

In this section you will list the specific places, people, objects, activities, and events

important to your research. Beyond merely listing the sites of your inquiry, you should note

specific locations, times and dates of events, contact information, etc.

Sites of Inquiry Contact / Location Dates / Times

“Nature Photography Dean F. (organizer), Desert Saturday, October 20, 2018,

Workshop”, a photography Botanical Garden, 1201 N 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
event for photographers with Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, Arizona
a wide range of skill levels 85281

Photoshoot in Sedona, Christina Qian, Hole in the Monday, October 8, 2018,

photoshoot with Christina Rock, 625 Galvin Pkwy, 4:00 PM
Qian and friends Phoenix, AZ 85008
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Section 3, Inquiring into Objects /Artifacts

You will conduct a hands-on investigation of objects and artifacts to discover their significance
to the group. Their value may be functional, symbolic, or otherwise. This section might include
prepared questions and selected responses, descriptive observation notes, and a reflection on how
the objects that you’ve observed represent the community you are studying.

Part 1, Summarize the experience, including responses and notes (~200 words):

Photography would not be possible without the main functional object, which is a

camera. The camera is what makes photography what it is today. Although there are many

different types of photography, the camera is what allows the individual to capture beautiful

moments and in order to convey their opinions and ideas. Photography is very individualized in a

way that depending on the person and setting, so many different moods can be expressed with

the same camera. When I asked the question “What inspired you to pick up a camera,” people

told me that it was because they felt lost and didn’t know where to go with their life. Intrigued

and inspired by the numerous images that they had seen, they decided to go out of their comfort

zones and pursue something that they believed was amazing. By reaching for the lens, they

realized how photography has the power of making anything beautiful. There are numerous

things in this world that are beautiful, and often explaining this beauty in words is very difficult.

Photographs allow us to show the true beauty of the object without using words, and allows each

individual to interpret the images in their own way.

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Part 2, Principle Quotes or Observations with an explanation of value:

1. “A camera has the ability to make anything beautiful.” The significance of this is the

approach and mindset that the photographer has. This shows that that anything can be

perceived as beautiful with the mindset of ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’.

2. A photographer must know their camera inside and out. The significance of this is that as

the main functional object, there are many technological aspects of it that a photographer

must understand to make the best use of it.

3. While observing my friend Christina taking photos at the hole in the rock, I realized that

she focused a lot on the image she was trying to portray. Rather than trying to get ‘the

perfect shot’, she focused on having a fun time with the model and constantly interacted

with them. When the model and photographer work together, a beautiful image is able to

be created.
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Part 3, Reflect on the process, occurrences, and results of this research, including inferences
about the significance of your observations and interview responses. (~300 words):

While observing Christina take her pictures, I realized the importance of energy and

motivation. The more motivated and inspired she was, the better the photos turned out. More

interaction between the model and the photographer resulted in better energy in the images as

well. As I was asking her about her thought process in taking these pictures, I remember most

what she said regarding nature. She told me that when she takes pictures, her goal is to make the

person and the nature one, which is what she believes is what makes a photograph beautiful. She

does not usually focus on a certain image. She likes to get inspired on the spot and goes with the

flow. She detailed on the importance of working with what you are given. The most beautiful

images are able to be captured when an individual embraces the natural materials that are

provided.

Another thing that she highlighted was that the photographer must really understand the

object that they are given fully in order to take the best photos. If the photographer is not familiar

with their camera and other equipment, the full potential of the photo will not be reached. Truly

understanding the technological aspects of photography and the camera itself is extremely

important as well because that will ensure that the image you want to capture is captured how

you envision it to be. There are many different kinds of cameras and each camera has different

kinds of lenses that you can use to customize your camera and set it up depending on your

preference and shooting style. Discovering out your photography style is also very important

when taking pictures.

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Section 4, Inquiring into Place

You will conduct an on-site investigation of a location to discover its significance to the group.
This value may be functional, symbolic, or otherwise. This section might include prepared
questions and selected responses, descriptive observation notes, and a reflection on how the
objects that you’ve observed represent the community you are studying.

Part 1, Summarize the observation, including responses and notes (~200 words):

To investigate and learn more about the art of photography, I went to the Hole in the

Rock with Christina Qian, a student with interest in photography who attends ASU. The hole in

the rock is “a natural geological formation” at Papago Park, which is located in Phoenix.

Christina enjoys taking photographs of individuals in natural settings, and enjoys working with

the natural lighting. “The thing about working in nature is how it’s so beautiful that it can be

hard to describe in words. I feel like whenever I’m in nature I have to take a picture of the

scenery to show the true beauty of it.” She went into detail on how beautiful nature is, and how it

is very unpredictable, posing new challenges to her every time she shoots. She likes working

with unpredictable situations, especially situations that make her think creatively.

By facing unpredictable situations in nature, Christina feels that her photography skills

have improved over the years. Nature and the weather is something that we cannot control and

Christina says that this is what made her love taking pictures in nature.
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Part 2, Principle Quotes or Observations with an explanation of value:

4. “It gave me a platform where I can express my ideas and turn them into something real.”

The significance of this is it shows how the vast amounts of creativeness in every

individual can be expressed differently through a lens.

5. “When people look at my pictures, I want them to feel light-hearted and experience the

full thrill of life.” The significance of this is that each photographer can portray and make

the audience feel what they want them to feel through their pictures. Even if the audience

portrays an image a different way, the photographer usually has a specific feeling that

they want their audience to experience.

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Part 3, Reflect on the process, occurrences, and results of this research, including inferences
about the significance of your observations and interview responses. (~300 words):

What I learned from interviewing Christina and Victor was that photography could be

used as an escape from life, and can help people express things that would be difficult otherwise.

Their interest in photography mostly started with them personally feeling stuck in a low point of

their life and not knowing what to do. By expressing their thoughts through photography, they

were able to relieve some of their stress by focusing on things outside of their mandatory

activities. By relieving their stress through photography, they were able to keep a sort of balance

in their lives.

When asked the question, “What messages (if any) do you try to portray through your

pictures,” I found that the individuals wanted to portray photos of the raw experience. Pictures

are memories in itself, and when a photographer is able to capture that moment, it is a beautiful

thing. The photographer’s goal is mostly to share these ‘raw experiences’ with other people who

may not have the same opportunities as them to explore the world, in attempts to get them to feel

what they were feeling while actually capturing the photo.

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Section 5, Inquiring into Activities/Events

You will conduct an on-site observation of an event or activity to discover its significance to the
group. Their value may be functional, symbolic, or otherwise. This section might include
prepared questions and selected responses, descriptive observation notes, and a reflection on how
the objects that you’ve observed represent the community you are studying.

Part 1, Summarize the observation, including responses and notes (~200 words):

When I went to Papago Park with Christina, all we brought was a camera and our two

other friends. That was all we needed. Friends to make good memories with and a camera to

capture the greatest moments. We spontaneously decided to go to Papago Park as it was nearing

the sunset time because Christina really enjoys the “golden hour” pictures. This really showed

her appreciation for the natural world. To be an effective photographer, an individual must get in

touch with the beauty that the natural Earth offers us. Through observing Christina take pictures,

I realized that other than the main most obvious functional object, a camera, nature is another

significant thing for photographers.

Another ‘event’ that I took part in was taking photos of my friends at the Arizona State

Fair. My friends told me that they wanted new photos for them to post on Instagram, and I took

this as an opportunity to go out of my comfort zone and take pictures for my friends in a super

crowded setting. Even though it was my friends who wanted me to take pictures of them, I

realized how nervous they were to be taking photographs in a very public setting. I naturally took

charge and directed my friends so that they would feel more comfortable and get the best

pictures.
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Part 2, Principle Quotes or Observations with an explanation of value:

6. “In my free time I would venture to new places and get to sight see. By doing that I

wanted to capture the essence of wherever I was to remember and take note of what was

missing from my life.” The significance of this is how we take many things for granted.

We are constantly surrounded by nature, yet we often fail to take note of it and immerse

ourselves into our surroundings.

7. “Photography for me was able to help me escape all of my mandatory activities, and I

learned to cherish these moments with my friends.” The significance of this is that it

shows how much of an impact photography can have on certain individuals. The power

of photography is that it can capture anything that an individual wants.

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Part 3, Reflect on the process, occurrences, and results of this research, including inferences
about the significance of your observations and interview responses. (~300 words):

From observing many aspects of the art of photography, I have learned a lot about what

goes into it. Nature is something that cannot be controlled, so rather than trying to control it, the

photographer must work with it. By accepting the natural occurrences and going with the flow, a

beautiful image can be made. Many photographers enjoy taking pictures of a subject in nature,

and I have realized that this is simply because nature is so beautiful.

Every photographer has a different style of photos that they take depending on the image

that they are trying to portray. Although there are many different styles of photography, the

bottom line is that in order to get a good photo, the subject and their surroundings must work

together closely.

Victor discussed how photography was an escape for him because he had such a busy

schedule. Whenever he would have free time he would go adventure with his friends on the

island and take photos to remember the good times he was able to have with his close friends.

Photography for him was what bonded him and his friends and without it, he said that he would

not be the person he was today.

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Section 6, Inquiring into People/Person

You will conduct an interview and/or survey of people representative of the group you are
researching. Their value may be functional, symbolic, or otherwise. This section might include
prepared questions and selected responses, descriptive observation notes, and a reflection on how
the objects that you’ve observed represent the community you are studying.

Part 1, Summarize the observation, including responses and notes (~200 words):

For the purpose of the research portion of this project, I interviewed two students at

Arizona State University who were very passionate about photography. I asked them a series of

questions regarding how they got started with photography, as well as what kinds of pictures

they enjoyed taking the most. Both of them told me that they started their photography journey

when they were in a low point of their lives. They described to me how photography helped them

individually get out of the slump they were in. They were each able to discover what they loved

to capture, and they grew from there.

When I inquired about how photography helped each of them, Christina discussed that

she really wanted her audience to feel the lightheartedness and happiness that she felt through

her pictures. Because she was in such a bad place before starting her photography journey, she

felt like she had to portray these happy images for both herself and her audience in order for her

to get back to her normal state. Through photography, she was able to express herself to the best

of her ability and learn how to see things in different perspectives as well as photograph things to

highlight their beauty.

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Part 2, Principle Quotes or Observations with an explanation of value:

8. “I think I love the photo so much because I remember exactly what was happening in the

moment, and everytime I look back on it I can feel how happy I was.” The significance of

this is that looking at photos brings back memories. Every photo you take has a memory

that is associated with it. The fact that a picture was taken was because the individual

wanted to remember that moment.

9. “Film is what inspired me to get into photography because I wanted to see what it was

like telling a story with a single frame.” The significance of this is the power of one

picture. A picture is worth a thousand words and even though it is easier to capture the

mood through a video, I feel that being able to do so with a photograph is much more

powerful.
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Part 3, Reflect on the process, occurrences, and results of this research, including inferences
about the significance of your observations and interview responses. (~300 words):

Interviewing these two individuals gave me a greater insight on how photography has the

power to affect individuals and their mindset as a whole. I learned that by focusing on something

and being passionate about it can really help individuals when they struggle to find themselves in

dark times. When I was interviewing both of my friends, I saw how happy they were to share

their experiences and stories regarding photography. From this, I have learned that stress can be

relieved by pursuing things you love to do.

For both friends that I interviewed, photography was an escape from their daily activities,

and discovering this helped them overcome their difficulties that they were facing at that time.

Photography allowed them to express many different ideas that they had and try new things.

They grew through experiences that they shared with their friends while they shot photos with

them. They saw every photoshoot as an escape for them, and it helped them go out of their

comfort zone and grow as people.

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Section 7, Soundscape

Photoshoot at Papago Park

https://drive.google.com/open?id=11OJU65S0DRL7vXk7oQRm9aL9mbtxh3lp

Section 8, WP3 Proposal

From researching the art of photography, I learned about why some people get into

photography, as well as what images they try to portray through their images. The question that I

got the most intriguing answers to was “What inspired you to pick up a camera?”. I learned a lot

from asking this question to different individuals. I realized how versatile photography was and

how anyone can do it if they are inspired and motivated. There is so much beauty in the art of

photography; I feel that this is because different photographers have the potential to highlight

different things in a picture with the same setup and materials.

With the same camera, same background, and model, different photographers will take a

different approach. This is what I feel that makes photography so appealing. There are absolutely

no rules that a photographer must follow, it is completely up to the photographer themself. They

can each decide on what they want to portray and what they want their audience to feel from

their work.

I felt like I had to ask that question because everyone has a different story and different

reasons for getting passionate about something. Being passionate in something is loving

something so much that you don’t need to be paid to do it, and that is what photography was to

the people I had interviewed.

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Some of the most important takeaways from researching the art of photography is that

motivation is key, and staying positive is crucial when working with the subject. Given my

research, I propose an essay that will inform its audience about how photography can be used as

a creative output, and how it has affected certain individuals in their personal life.

References

Qian, C. (2018, October 14). Personal Interview.

Vasquez, V. (2018, October 20). Personal Interview.