Week Nineteen: 05/06 - 05/12

This week was my last week of school. I'm going back to New York on Tuesday, it's so weird packing everything up. I'm going to miss a lot of people that I've met in Chicago. On Friday, me and Mary took family portraits, it was fun.

Week Eighteen: 04/29 - 05/05

This week was Crit week for the graduate students, so I had most of this week off to do a lot of my finals work. I had to finish two essays this week. One was about Sally Mann & Jock Sturges while the other one was about Epics for my English class. This week, I also worked on my final project for my Contemporary Practices class. We had to create an hour long video, I really like a lot of the footage my group shot and I think that I will try video when I return to New York. I also finished printing my photo final, which I think sucks.

Week Seventeen: 04/22 - 04/28

I went to the Chicago Botanical Gardens this week with my large format class. It was really pretty but not that good for photographs. I would like to go again and just walk around and take in it's beauty. I entered a contest and the winner get's their work showcased at Times Square in New York City. If you could, please check out my entry and vote for me! To vote, just press "Collect Me" on the top of the page! You can see my entry here.

Week Sixteen: 04/15 - 04/21

This week I shoot Alyssa on Monday for my large format class and for myself. I went to Lincoln Park and the conservatory again, I am just too lazy to find new locations this late in the school year. Then, I took pictures of Nicole on Wednesday, here is a Polaroid.

Week Fifteen: 04/08 - 04/14

I want to go home but I'll surely miss Chicago. School has been so stressful recently.

Week Fourteen: 04/01 - 04/07

I had an in progress critique for my photography class and it went pretty well. I need to get better at speaking about my work, it's really hard to talk about photographs. I think it's easier to talk other media of art. Anyway, I'm still working on my self portrait project. I didn't have time to scan anything this weekend so you get a random video clip.

Week Thirteen: 03/25 - 03/31

I shot my first figure model on Monday, it was a really great experience. I got a lot done this week. I shot a lot and developed a lot of film (About 20 sheets of 4 x 5 and a roll of 35mm). My hands are probably dead from developing all of that sheet film. I'm too lazy to buy latex gloves. I got a lot of school work done. I had critique in my research class that went decent and I took my midterm for art history. 

On Thursday I shot Aubrey for my large format class. For my project I want to experiment with nature and artificiality. Every time I take pictures of her it's always cold and windy.

Week Twelve: 03/18 - 03/24

On Sunday I took preliminary photos of Maxim for my research class. We had to do some sort of contrasting opposite. So I was like, I'll do subtle differences. I showed my teacher on Tuesday and she really liked the idea so I hope they all turn out well. Shannon and Constanza came to visit me from New York for Spring break. 

Week Eleven: 03/11 - 03/17

On Monday I took pictures of strangers for my large format class, it was a really good exercise for me because I usually don't do street style photography. This week's weather was so lovely, but I was too busy to enjoy it. I had my midterm critique for my contemporary practices class. I had to do a photo transfer and two paintings. Taping my paintings were so annoying. My teacher really liked my photo transfer though, I want to photograph it when there is nice light in my room.

I'm still cleaning up my room before Shannon and Constanza visit me next week for Spring break, I'm so excited.

Week Ten: 03/04 - 03/10

For my research class, we were supposed to create something by using a material as a different material. As you can see, the project was rather confusing. I decided to create a beard out of dried hydrangeas. I cut out pieces of muslin and then sewed and glued the flowers to the muslin to create multiple chains. I shot my project on my friend Kenny.

On Wednesday, I took photos of Ruowei. We just went down Michigan Avenue and took photos. I had class in the afternoon so I wanted to stay in the area. I accidentally changed my Blogspot interface and I don't think I can change it back. Hopefully I'll get used to it. 

Week Nine: 02/26 - 03/03

This week I had my first large format critique and it went really well, I was really surprised because I was not at all impressed with my work. For that class my professor wants me to create a series of self portraits because he really liked the ones I did for our first critique. On Thursday I photographed Audrey again, it was really fun. We accidentally took the wrong bus and ended up being too north. When we got off of the bus and found a really beautiful beach.

After the beach we went to the nature museum in Lincoln Park, we went there to see the really interesting butterfly house. It was a room with butterflies flying everywhere. There were also so many specimens that were so beautiful.

After the museum, we went to the conservatory. It was beautiful. Unlike the other greenhouse I went to, they let us take pictures.

Week Eight: 02/19 - 02/25

I used my school darkroom for the first time this week, the enlargers are so much better than the ones I used at home. For the first critique my instructor only wanted us to make contact prints. Fiber paper is so expensive, I'm still using RC paper because I have 100 sheets of 5 x 7.

  

I went to the conservatory with Mel, I had all of my large format camera equipment so they didn't let me in so I made Mel lay in dirt. On Wednesday, I finally took pictures for myself. I took photos of Angela for the first time, it was film so I'll develop those in a week or two.

Here are some random sketches in me Moleskine. I attempted to draw Magdalena Frackowiak but it didn't come out as well as I wanted it to. My jar of ink also spilled so it bled through a few of my pages.

Week Seven: 02/12 - 02/18

Yeah, I lied. My large format instructor didn't teach us how to scan 4x5 negatives and regular flat bed scanners can't even scan the whole image so I have to wait until Monday to scan my negatives. But, I finished my installation for a class and I decided to take some pictures with it.

I created an installation with bubble wrap and thread. I then illuminated it with a light and it created the most beautiful shadows. On Friday I went to the Bean with friends to view some sort of light show. It wasn't what I expected, there were too many people.

Week Six: 02/05 - 02/11

Ok, so I am basically cheating this week, I shot photos for my large format class but I didn't have time to develop them. I shot 4x5 film for the first time and developed it. I've been so busy with all of my classes. For my research class, I'm creating some sort of collage and for my contemporary practices class I'm setting up some sort of installation. I promise that the entry for week seven will have a lot of photos.

Week Five: 01/29 - 02/04

On Monday I had my first large format class. I absolutely love my instructor so I hope all will go well in that class. I have my research class again with Mary on Tuesday, we went to the Art Institute to photograph some sort of inspiration for our month-long project. On Wednesday I had art history and English. My art history is about the history of portraits so I am sure I will like that class. I thought I wouldn't like my English class because it's basically about Epic stories like The Odyssey and Beowulf but my professor seems really interesting.

I didn't take any photos this week so I'm pretty much cheating. I did create a lot of art this week though. I printed some of my favorite Marc Jacobs ads by Juergen Teller and colored and drew over them.

Week Four: 01/22 - 01/28

On Monday I took pictures of Caitlin. Because of the rain the night before, there was a lot of fog and I never took pictures in this kind of weather. Monday was the last day in New York until May. The next day I had a flight to Chicago. I met these two cute old ladies from Kansas City, they were very nice to talk to. Once I got back to Chicago I went to the dorms and got myself situated before I went to see friends.

It's so nice to be back at college with the friends I made in a few months. The people I've met at college are truly amazing and creative, I'm glad that I decided to go to art school and not an ordinary university. I think it's important to be surrounded by people who are driven by creativity.

I also love living by myself again, it gives me a sense of independence, something I didn't have back home while living with my parents. It's great now because my parents won't worry about me when I'm doing something really late. I know my parents care about me but sometimes it's just overbearing, I wish they could understand.

Week Three: 01/15 - 01/21

On Sunday I went to the city and spent the day with my mom and brother. We went to the Met, I haven't been there since July and it was great to wonder the great halls again. The rest of my week was pretty boring. I went to the airport to pick up my grandma. She spent a few months in Taiwan and brought back delicious treats. I took pictures of Olivia on Thursday night, I wanted to experiment with these and I really like the photographs. I wish we shot more but it started snowing and I didn't want my dad's camera to get wet.

Nothing really exciting happened this week. I'm going back to Chicago next Tuesday so I wanted to clean my room before I leave. I tried to pack all of my clothes into one carry on luggage and I was successful. Next winter break I'm not going to bring so much clothes. I'm really glad to be going back to school.

I went to Chinatown on Saturday because it's Chinese New Year soon and my mom needed to buy some food and incense. Caitlin came with us, it was her first time going to Chinatown. Oh, and it snowed a lot today. I'll be taking pictures tomorrow.

Week Two: 01/08 - 01/14

Sunday, I was finally able to go to the city. I drove in the morning and met with Brianna, Shannon, and Becky in the afternoon. We went to American Apparel's warehouse sale, for me it was disappointing. The highlight of the trip was the long line for the restroom at Starbucks on Broadway.

I shot Caitlin on Tuesday, we just went to this field that is just behind the neighborhood that we live in. The field wasn't as open as it was last time I went but it was fine. It wasn't that cold but the wind made things so difficult.

I went back to my high school on Wednesday, I shot two rolls of 35mm black and white and one roll of 120 film so I decided that it would be smart to use my school's chemicals and darkroom. I haven't been in a darkroom in awhile, SAIC didn't allow us to use the darkrooms. I finally developed the photographs that I took of Meaghan and Laura for a new series. I absolutely love them and I can't wait to release them.

After I finished developing film I went to Panera with Brianna & Jenn. On the way to Panera I tried to finish up a roll of film. After Panera I met up with Meaghan & Holly and we went to Starbucks, I also took pictures of them.

On Friday, I went to the city to meet with my friend Brittany. I met her about a year and a half ago during the School of Visual Arts open house. We ate at Shake Shack but since it was Friday the thirteenth, we had bad luck. Squirrels kept attacking us and stealing our food, literally. They climbed onto our tables and would grab the fries right in front of us. Afterwards we went to her dorm and we watched Portlandia. I was really skeptical about that show but it was so good. Afterwards I went to take pictures of Brittany, I wish the weather was better.

Week One: 01/01 - 01/07

I decided that I really want to do a 52 weeks project, but I want to document it differently. Instead of having one photograph I want multiple ones and I want to use this as an opportunity to make a documentation for myself of this year. I feel if I do it this way I won't feel pressured and I'll actually finish the project.

Anyways, for the last shoot of 2011, I decided to take digital photos of Brianna in some sort of field and go hunting for pretty Christmas lights. I tried to take some digitals because I haven't shot digital in awhile.

For New Years, I went up to Syracuse and Liverpool to celebrate it with my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins. I love driving upstate, I get to see so much scenery, I wish I could make my mom stop every ten minutes just so I could take a picture. I had this grand plan to photograph my younger cousin Emily but she had the flu and wasn't feeling well so I just took some random pictures of her in the morning when I found some sunlight. Next time I visit, I really want to photograph the ideas I had.

On Friday, I was supposed to go to the city but things didn't really work out so I just went to Panera with some friends. I randomly decided that I would take pictures of Brianna and that's what I did. April came along and I used her as an assistant, she was so good. I had to go to Newark airport to pick up my dad's business associates from China. That took forever and I got home at like two in the morning.

Today, I went to Alice's house with Olivia, I met her boyfriend from Italy. Of course, I wanted to take pictures of him. I don't know how to describe his face but the features were so nice. He was the second guy that I've photographed. It's hard to photograph men, it's really difficult to direct them.  Later in the day I went to Starbucks and met up with Holly. We went adventuring on the local bike trail and I took pictures of her friend Taylor.