Introduction
This year we had the pleasure to collaborate with World Strides, thanks to Ms. Herskind. We got to dialog with their camps leaders in Ecuador and Costa Rica through this collaboration. Students learned in these talks about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and about how these camps were helping these communities by implementing these goals. The works that you see here are inspired by the conversations and what students learned. For many of the students, it opened the door to do further research and investigate how to comment visually on global issues.
Audrey Jung
My project focuses on climate change and melting glaciers. To depict this, I took a series of pictures that show ice gradually melting around a plant. The final photo shows a dying plant against a duller background, representing how rising sea levels can negatively affect environments. This is the case for the coastlines of countries like Ecuador and Costa Rica, where flooding harms wildlife and impacts tourism, an important part of both economies.
My second project also centers on melting glaciers and the resulting rise in sea levels. To create this model, I stacked ice cubes to model a melting glacier. The melting ice at the base of the glacier shows that glacial melt is an ongoing process, and often occurs at rapid rates. Through this photo, I wanted to show that glacial melt is a tangible effect of global warming and can have an extreme impact.
My second project also centers on melting glaciers and the resulting rise in sea levels. To create this model, I stacked ice cubes to model a melting glacier. The melting ice at the base of the glacier shows that glacial melt is an ongoing process, and often occurs at rapid rates. Through this photo, I wanted to show that glacial melt is a tangible effect of global warming and can have an extreme impact.
Evan Yoon
My project relates to Sustainable Development Goals 12 (responsible consumption and production) and 14 (life below water) and explores the relationship and growing connection between human’s plastic waste and the ocean.
I shot a still life of some trash with red lights on one side (bad) and blue lights on the other side that represent the ocean. I then combined the still life with a picture I took of the ocean and adjusted the colors so that the blue lights blend seamlessly together into the sky at the top of the image.
I used the same set of still life images and ocean images as the diptych, and matched the plastic fruit basket to the horizon line in the same way as the diptych. The image is a bit more abstract, with the trash blown out of proportion to represent the massive amounts of consumer waste that end up in the ocean.
For this image, I took a picture of a soda can with the 6-pack rings on top. The soda can ring packaging has become a particularly problematic type of waste, as animals get themselves stuck in the soda can spaces and can develop gruesome deformities or die as a result. I tried to capture a near-apocalyptic energy in this image, leaving most of the image a drab gray color. Tilting the can sideways makes it look like a sinking ship, representing the current environmental disaster being caused by the 8 million tons of plastic being dumped into the ocean annually.
I shot a still life of some trash with red lights on one side (bad) and blue lights on the other side that represent the ocean. I then combined the still life with a picture I took of the ocean and adjusted the colors so that the blue lights blend seamlessly together into the sky at the top of the image.
I used the same set of still life images and ocean images as the diptych, and matched the plastic fruit basket to the horizon line in the same way as the diptych. The image is a bit more abstract, with the trash blown out of proportion to represent the massive amounts of consumer waste that end up in the ocean.
For this image, I took a picture of a soda can with the 6-pack rings on top. The soda can ring packaging has become a particularly problematic type of waste, as animals get themselves stuck in the soda can spaces and can develop gruesome deformities or die as a result. I tried to capture a near-apocalyptic energy in this image, leaving most of the image a drab gray color. Tilting the can sideways makes it look like a sinking ship, representing the current environmental disaster being caused by the 8 million tons of plastic being dumped into the ocean annually.
Gabi Varga
You can think of the world as though nothing matters. You can think of us as though every single thing you do has such a microscopic effect on the world and our universe that nothing really matters. But it does. Everything we do matters. We are running out of time to save our planet and every step we take either makes it worse or makes it better but for the most part since we don’t care about the effect our actions have on our home planet, our home planet is turning to trash, dust, and oil. The 6th Sustainable Development Goal is clean water and sanitation. But we are running out of drinking water and clean water in general. The worst part is the majority of the world knows and doesn’t care. We need to continuously bring attention to our Earth. We need to start treating our home planet as if our own house was on fire; because it is.
Meena Durairaj
"Plastic Earth" - Meena Durairaj
With this image I wanted to address the prevalence of plastic on this Earth and how it hurts the planet. I placed a globe inside a plastic bag and positioned the photo to give it a feeling of tension and urgency. I also included my hand grabbing the bag to represent how human intervention and major corporations are responsible for the alarming amount of plastic used today.
With this image I wanted to address the prevalence of plastic on this Earth and how it hurts the planet. I placed a globe inside a plastic bag and positioned the photo to give it a feeling of tension and urgency. I also included my hand grabbing the bag to represent how human intervention and major corporations are responsible for the alarming amount of plastic used today.
"NO Thank You" - Meena Durairaj
With this image, I also wanted to highlight the affect that plastic usage has on the environment. I took a plastic bag with the typical ‘thank you, have a nice day’ design on it and added bold ‘NO’s in text. It is a simple message of reminder that plastic is not doing any favors for the earth and that sustainable methods of consumption should become a priority for our everyday lives.
With this image, I also wanted to highlight the affect that plastic usage has on the environment. I took a plastic bag with the typical ‘thank you, have a nice day’ design on it and added bold ‘NO’s in text. It is a simple message of reminder that plastic is not doing any favors for the earth and that sustainable methods of consumption should become a priority for our everyday lives.
"Worth the Weight?" - Meena Durairaj
I chose SDG 12, about responsible consumption and production, and wanted to show how over-consumption is a major issue today. Consumerism was a major focus of this image, and I wanted to show the preoccupation that society has with the consumption of material goods. I also wanted to focus on Amazon as a company, as I often notice the massive waste of shipping material that arrives when an Amazon package is delivered. I shot a pile of amazon boxes from a lower angle, to give the feeling that it is towering over the image. I also included receipts in the background to follow the theme of consumerism and how it encompasses many lifestyles. Overall, I wanted a viewer of the image to wonder if their packages are worth the wait and if they are worth the weight and pressure that they place on the environment.
I chose SDG 12, about responsible consumption and production, and wanted to show how over-consumption is a major issue today. Consumerism was a major focus of this image, and I wanted to show the preoccupation that society has with the consumption of material goods. I also wanted to focus on Amazon as a company, as I often notice the massive waste of shipping material that arrives when an Amazon package is delivered. I shot a pile of amazon boxes from a lower angle, to give the feeling that it is towering over the image. I also included receipts in the background to follow the theme of consumerism and how it encompasses many lifestyles. Overall, I wanted a viewer of the image to wonder if their packages are worth the wait and if they are worth the weight and pressure that they place on the environment.
Justin Sulivan-Pascual
This project focuses on SDG 6 about clean water and how we should avoid wasting it. My image depicts someone drinking a bottle of water, and then the bottle ending up being left in a polluted pond. I used blending modes in Photoshop to combine the two images into a double exposure. Clean water is something we take for granted. It is extremely important for us to avoid wasting water as there are other people across the world who don’t have access to the same resources that we do.
Miles Craven
Against Nature 1- For Against Nature, I wanted to point out how our consumption habits and how sustainable consumption could be achieved. Whilst researching SDG 14, sustainable consumption, I realized that becoming aware to my own consumption and how it affects sustainability was key to moving towards a more sustainable future. To do this, I began to take photos of the plastic bags and bottles that my family and I used weekly. To show the scale of consumption, I wanted to create a composition that showed that even small aspects of our life, the plastic bottle we bought with lunch or the phone in our pocket, have a larger impact on the global environment.
For my second part of the Against Nature series, I wanted to explore the role of cars in pollution and the roadblocks to a sustainable future that they produce. Gasoline powered cars impact the environment in two major ways: pollution from their engines and waste once the car is junked. Although there is more awareness of the former, many still do know the extent to which their cars impact the environment even after they stop being driven. With over 16 million cars being scrapped in the US each year, dealing with the plastics and harsh chemicals that cars leave behind is a global issue. In this image, I wanted to bring awareness to both the air pollution that cars create and the waste that is left once they are scrapped. To do this, I used the images that I had collected for my first Against Nature project and edited them in Photoshop.
For my second part of the Against Nature series, I wanted to explore the role of cars in pollution and the roadblocks to a sustainable future that they produce. Gasoline powered cars impact the environment in two major ways: pollution from their engines and waste once the car is junked. Although there is more awareness of the former, many still do know the extent to which their cars impact the environment even after they stop being driven. With over 16 million cars being scrapped in the US each year, dealing with the plastics and harsh chemicals that cars leave behind is a global issue. In this image, I wanted to bring awareness to both the air pollution that cars create and the waste that is left once they are scrapped. To do this, I used the images that I had collected for my first Against Nature project and edited them in Photoshop.
Miles Cabrera
For my photo, I wanted to explore the relationship between human industrialization and nature, specifically how human construction is destroying nature. I was motivated by seeing deforestation and destruction of animals’ habitats in places like the Amazon rainforest. My image shows layers of construction photos on top of a nature photo of ducks and a stream. I used Photoshop to blend the images together in order to create a sense of the construction “taking over” the nature. My overall goal with this image was to bring awareness to the problem of human caused destruction of habitat. It relates to SDG 9, which is to use sustainable infrastructure, and SDG 15, which is to protect animals and their ecosystems.
Madison Lin
For this photo I focused on SDG 6 clean water and sanitation. The original photo is a dirty waterfall with algae and rocks. At the bottom I added trash to show that the water is polluted and unfiltered. I did this to show that some people are always surrounded by only unfiltered water. I also wanted to convey that we need to do our part. Although you might not be able to go to Costa Rica or Ecuador to help them get the resources to filter out and supply more clean water, you can reduce the amount of waste you have. Every piece of trash contributes to the pollution there is in this world today.
For my photo I decided to focus on SDG 6 which is clean water and sanitation. During the meetings about Costa Rica and Ecuador they mentioned how it is hard to find access to clean sanitized water. For me water is something that just pours out of a faucet and I don't even recognize it as a privilege. In this photo I put a person under the waterfall to represent how we are blessed with clean water and never have to think twice about it. Around the bottom I added trash to show that in contrast to this many people are surrounded by polluted water and don't have proper access to get what they need.
For my photo I decided to focus on SDG 6 which is clean water and sanitation. During the meetings about Costa Rica and Ecuador they mentioned how it is hard to find access to clean sanitized water. For me water is something that just pours out of a faucet and I don't even recognize it as a privilege. In this photo I put a person under the waterfall to represent how we are blessed with clean water and never have to think twice about it. Around the bottom I added trash to show that in contrast to this many people are surrounded by polluted water and don't have proper access to get what they need.
Olivia Brown
For my project with Costa Rica and Ecuador I focused on deforestation. When I think of deforestation I picture fire and valuable plants and trees being killed. My image demonstrates a healthy plant to the left, the use of fire to burn down forests, and lastly a small dead plant to the right. This sequence shows how humans use fire destroys our environment and animal's habitats around the world.
My photograph represents deforestation by editing flames and adding an ominous filter to the original bright and colorful image. By changing the mood, the apocalyptic idea I was trying to capture is more clear. Deforestation especially in counties like Costa Rica and Ecuador is extremely prominent which is devastating since trees are keeping us humans alive. With my photograph I hope to put into perspective how deforestation has and continues to destroy the Earth.
My photograph represents deforestation by editing flames and adding an ominous filter to the original bright and colorful image. By changing the mood, the apocalyptic idea I was trying to capture is more clear. Deforestation especially in counties like Costa Rica and Ecuador is extremely prominent which is devastating since trees are keeping us humans alive. With my photograph I hope to put into perspective how deforestation has and continues to destroy the Earth.
Teddy Gould
This image focuses on electronic waste and all of the harm that it can cause. In the photo, you can see a variety of electronics falling in a pool of toxic waste. Purely for the image’s purpose, the toxic chemicals that are caused by un-recycled batteries are represented by a pool of toxic waste. In reality, the chemicals caused by the batteries are not visible, making them even more dangerous. The overall message of this photo is that batteries need to be taken to an eWaste facility. And if you are still using regular batteries, I’d recommend switching to rechargeable batteries, a much safer alternative.
Victoria Barry
Using a collage of Joshua Tree, and toilets, I hope to exemplify SDG-6. SDG-6 is about clean water, and sanitation. It is a privilege in the US to be able to walk a couple feet to use the restroom. To have water on tap. To not worry about water consumption. This image captures the absurdity of privilege. Everyday items that many don’t even think about. How for some, these simple necessities such as water are out of reach. Sculpture credit to “The Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum” for the toilets.
Another aspect of clean water in SDG-6 is water pollution. The industrialization of ports in Southern California and all over the world are a part of the problem, but can also be a part of the solution. In this image, you can see the ocean, though one also looks at the containers, and hotel buildings to it. The puzzle pieces are included to display the clean ocean that might be lost otherwise. A clean ocean “solves” the puzzle.
Another aspect of clean water in SDG-6 is water pollution. The industrialization of ports in Southern California and all over the world are a part of the problem, but can also be a part of the solution. In this image, you can see the ocean, though one also looks at the containers, and hotel buildings to it. The puzzle pieces are included to display the clean ocean that might be lost otherwise. A clean ocean “solves” the puzzle.
Ben Odawara
For this photo I really wanted to be able to display the amount of waste that is truly around us. Only 15 minutes away from my house there were such large junkyards. Often large amounts of waste and ruining our environment seem like something that doesn't even directly affect our lives. I hope to show that all of this is going on all around us, even if we don't realize. So I decided to make a collage of what I saw in these junkyards, with a large factory in the middle, showing how much waste there really is. For the second photo I went down to a local field and decided to photograph all of the trash. Lots of people litter and don't think that it is a big problem, so I decided to put a pile of trash in the middle. This pile shows that eventually all the trash piles up.
Henry Brookbanks
Deforestation is a major issue we have to now and in the future deal with. The main reasons forests are being cut down is for city expansion, agriculture, a source of income, and for roads to be built between cities for easier travel, which is what I focused on. To depict this, I created a road for toy cars to "drive" through an area of plants representing trees. As we continue to populate the earth, humans have to continue creating homes and places to live in natural areas such as forests. More roads will continue to be built and more trees will be chopped down. If this issue is not addressed more throughly soon by people in power, we will lose natural forests and the species that live in them.
9th GRADE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS
CHERISH
For this project, the ninth-graders received a recycled glass jar where they had to place something they cherish. As part of the project, they had first to photograph an image of nature and then photoshop it inside the jar to communicate their desire to cherish it.
For this project, the ninth-graders received a recycled glass jar where they had to place something they cherish. As part of the project, they had first to photograph an image of nature and then photoshop it inside the jar to communicate their desire to cherish it.
Mona Patterson - AP Student
Through my concentration, I work to present the consequences of climate change on our planet and health. In a 2020 study from Resources for the Future, 80% of Americans believed that rising temperatures will be a very or somewhat serious problem for the world. However, only 36% of Americans have made lifestyle changes to combat climate change. The increase in the accumulation of CO2, single-use plastics, and deforestation creates a looming threat for the future of life on earth. Unfortunately, my generation will have the challenge of living in increasingly hot climates and unprecedented natural disasters. In the fight against the climate crisis, I worry that the lack of urgency is due to a lack of education in the field of environmental science. Through my portfolio, I hope to present climate change and its effects in a way that feels urgent and necessary.