Photo Project

Photo Prompt: Senior leaving home to go to college

We photographed a high school senior leaving their house and moving away to college. The senior will have a suitcase and be closing the door to their childhood home. It will have a somber mood, conveyed through cool hues and soft lighting.

Design

Lighting: Natural, soft lighting to create a calm, nostalgic, and somber atmosphere. 

Setting: Takes place at the front door of a high school senior's childhood home to emphasize familiarity and comfort. 

Costumes, hairstyle, makeup: Wearing college sweatshirt, hair in ponytails to symbolize trying to hold on to childhood, no makeup to add to authentic feeling of moment 

Props/decor: Car keys, suitcase, backpack to show that the senior is moving away, and the stuffed animal to symbolize nostalgia and the struggle to let go of childhood. The autumn reefs show that the scene is taking place at or around autumn, which is about the time school starts, and the plant to the right-hand side symbolizes new growth or a new beginning. 

Composition

Depth: Moderately flat, so the viewer will focus on the figure

POV: Omniscient outside source facing the figure. 

Implied distance: Medium. The subject is close enough to where their expression can be viewed, but it is still shot far enough to show the entire context of the situation. 

Offscreen space: Inside house, to the left and right, outside landscape behind camera seen through grass.

Blocking: The senior is at the front door with their hand still on the handle and their body turned slightly towards it, showing their reluctance to leave, while their right leg is positioned towards the camera, showing the need to move forward. 

Originally, we were going to use the pillars outside to frame the photo and provide more depth, but instead we opted to take the photo closer up so more of the focus would be on Christy and her expression would be visible. Additionally, the door was supposed to be more open, however, it was difficult to capture the photo from the angle we wanted to while again, showing Christy's expression, if she held the door further away.