Alexis Navarro
When I first picked up a camera and took a picture, I was sort of disappointed. The picture did not stand out and was kind of blurry. As we learned about composition and the camera itself, I realized the first picture I took was not blurry because of the camera, but because of a low shutter speed or a slight movement of the hand. Artists like James Van Der Zee show me the great extent to which you can take a photograph. Everything in that frame is yours to manipulate and the picture will come out how you want it to with a little adjustment. I have progressed significantly since that first time, and from now on the sky's the limit. I strive to make hyper-realistic photos with a sense of disruption—that feeling of trying to figure out what you are looking at for a quick second—by layering my subject and composition through perspective. If I keep learning and discovering new techniques, such as blur effects and reflection, who knows, someday I might be up there with the greats.The Darker Side, 2022The Soul as A Shadow, 2022