Artist Statement One connection between all of my photos this year is trying to edit them in a way that either sends a specific message to viewers or create a very deep feeling for the person seeing it. Typically that is the main goal of all photography, however for me it is a little bit more personal because it all comes from the deeper parts of my brain and thoughts. Some of them are taken and edited where I'm thinking about the kind of vibe that the picture gives off, and some of them are taken and edited in a way where I am trying to send a specific message, whether that be an issue in society or something else. Either way, my best pieces are all creations, things that took more time and where I put more thought into them, rather than just pointing and shooting. I think that this kind of correlates to my style of photography, because the trend that I'm starting to see is one that expresses how my mind thinks. I take pictures using certain techniques, such as paying close attention to rules of composition, lighting, etc., however when it comes down to it my overall "style" is finding things that make me think, and taking a picture that can be a representation of those thoughts. When I am shooting freely, without a certain topic in mind, I am drawn to people and our surroundings. I like to see whats going on around me, and take pictures that take those surroundings so that I can mold them into something deeper. Also, one thing I am very drawn to is taking pictures of people, so that when you look at the photograph you can try to contemplate what is going on in the person's head. To create an interesting photograph, I look for things that are typical everyday things, and then when I actually take the photo I transform it to make the everyday things more interesting.