Author: allyssamendoza
Elfin Forest Reflection
My experience at the Elfin Forest Reserve during this last class was quite the adventure. I had visited the area twice before but hadn’t really let my adventurous side come out until now. I climbed through rocks and trees to try and find new spots, and got very low and close to the river to get the perfect shot. I was sure to take my time with the photos and really assess the area aesthetically. The scenery itself was a very luscious green as moss overtook the water and with the recent rains it really brought out the green in the plants. Myself and a couple other students also ventured up the hike way giving beautiful views of the area. But what really caught my attention was the lecture from Professor Small as she explained all the local plant types in the area. I was amazed to learn so much about plants that I thought were just trees or bushes. There is much more of a use for the plants, for example my favorite was the one you could create with lemonade, who knew you could just touch the seed and it was sticky and smelled like lemons! Such a wonderful experience and it makes me want to learn more about plants.
Final Project
Here is an attachment to my Final Project. In actuality, it is not “final” as I plan to make this an ongoing project, one that will be continuously added on to with every new place I visit. I hope that my project reaches audiences all over San Diego and I plan to collaborate with medias like magazines to showcase my work. This is why I chose to make it a website so that it is free and easily accessible by anyone with a computer or smart phone.
Elfin Forest
For the class shoot, we explored Elfin Forest Reserve. Professor taught us a lot about the local plants and their benefits. I was very interested in the scenery and the greens of the forest.
Funes Art Competition
For the annual Funes Digital Art competition I submitted the following 3 photos:
For this first photo I named the piece No Mud No Lotus. The reasoning and chosen aesthetic for this particular photo was to focus on the lotus itself and how it grows through mud. The light shined perfectly onto the flower and its highlights really attract the eyes to the flower. But to create this beautiful flower, it had to grow through mud which represents one’s hardships and obstacles. Then once in full bloom, you are introduced to a beautiful flower.
For this second piece, I named it A Walk Into Nature. Side by side is a mad made item and one created by our Earth. It reminds me of a dream-like state which is why I called it what I did, because I often day dream into scenes like this one. it reminds me as if it was taken off of the movie Alice in Wonderland.
The last piece was something taken out of my comfort zone. I really love this one because it captures what my project is – taking stunning photos of places around San Diego. Now looking at this photo, you would have never guessed that this was taken in San Diego as it looks very mysterious and exotic!
04262017 // Wasteland
In Vik Muniz’s film, Wasteland, he travels all the way to Brazil where the largest landfill resides – Jardim Gramacho. Making relationships with the pickers, he witnesses the type of hard labor work they go through daily in order to survive. Using the materials (garbage) the workers are using, he makes portraits of them in hopes to change lives. A combination of art and a social project, the result really puts into perspective these lives of the pickers and how much they really depend on Jardim Gramacho as their source of income, as their life. Dedicating countless hours to sorting out recyclables to sell in exchange for a small amount of money is really conveyed in Muniz’s work as he captures their hardships within his art work. This movie really inspires me to recycle more and be more mindful of the amount of trash I throw away.
04262017 // WATERMARK
To have watched this movie for the first time and not knowing really what the intent or movie was about, I was a bit confused by the amount of silence in the movie. But not until mid-film did I realize the real importance of the long landscape shots. I felt at first that the movie was all over the place, as scenes would jump to different parts of the world, not much being said besides a couple sentences from the subject of the shots. Then it came to me, of course, water. The importance and necessity of water is not just for entertainment as we saw at the water show in Las Vegas, but is used for so many different things around the world. People’s lives and jobs and basic standards of living are based on water. From catching clams to making leather, water is something that is used too much and is reaching a point where it will be very scarce. And this is the acts of humans. Some things are made for consumer use — i.e. the leather, something that is not needed but is done out of desire. Misuse of water in circumstances as much mentioned can lead to a world without water. The scenes were so compelling and amazing that it really did make an impact on how I saw the mark we humans make on water.
Deforestation // Robert Adams
What really grabbed my attention in Robert Adams’ photography was the picture of the cut tree trunk with the beer can. In my opinion, it really defined his work because it, as he said, exemplifies what is going on and what is wrong with the world. He captured the essence of the new developing world in one photo. He also really speaks of his interests passionately when he reminisces on his past work. You can tell by the tone in his voice he really felt strongly of the effects man has on nature and how as we approach the future, the consequences of our actions will really come to show. I didn’t find his pictures to be so much aesthetically pleasing but it doesn’t mean that it was less compelling – in fact it really does tell a story and his message gets through. So his artwork is really effective in the sense his voice is speaking to his audience in his work.
04122017 // Progress Report
https://theadventurist.wixsite.com/blog
I added 2 new locations for my website: SD Botanical Garden & Self-Realization Fellowship Garden
I have edited the layout of my website. The menu now reads: Vision | New Adventures| Categories | Shop | Contact. This will be the final layout for my website.
Vision: States my main goal and reasoning behind this project.
New Adventures: Most recent blog posts
Categories: View locations by type – abandoned, hike, scenic
Location: View areas by city
Shop: Link to my online etsy boutique – I sell jewelry both handpicked & hand-made and most recently LR presets.
Contact: where my audience can contact me
04022017 // Final Project Update
I finished the Locations page on my site where you click on a location and it will do either of the following: 1. bring you to the blog page (if visited) or 2. direct you to google maps with directions (if not visited – or blog not yet posted).
I also added a new page for Elfin Forest
I have visited Venice Beach, Belmont Park, and a couple eateries from both today and yesterday that I will updated this week.
Tomorrow and Friday I will visit SD Botanical Garden, Fellowship Garden, Moonlight Beach and possibly explore La Jolla. I will update my blog and share with class next week.
Timeline // Final Project
April 5: Visit LA – Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier, Sunken City
April 12: Visit abandoned area – Poway? Lake Elsinore?
April 19: Visit waterfall – Copper Creek Trail, Lake Hodges
April 26: Elfin Forest Field Trip
May 3: Final Touches on Website – Adding in all text & writing
May 10: Final Project Presentation
Intolerable Beauty // Chris Jordan
The artist that stood out to me was Chris Jordan and his work on in the Midway. His photography was so compelling and just reminded me of the negative impact we have on the environment and its inhabitants. It reminds me of a recent article where scientists found 11 pounds of coins in a sea turtle’s stomach – ultimately causing its death. Simple unwanted materials in our life that we are so easy to discard end up being mistaken as food by animals. Our waste continues to be a huge problem in our environment and in both his photos and film, Chris Jordan really proves a point. Though we may be blind to the fact – whether it may be purposeful or ignorance – the choices we make affect our world and it is up to us to raise awareness and stop the hurtful acts.
Digital Arts & The Environment 