Still Life Photography

The still life photography project involved capturing an image with three different lighting settings. A morning, evening, and studio shot were required so that we could experience the affect of various lighting conditions on images. For my still life photography project I decided to do something symbolic. I chose to symbolically demonstrate environmental degradation, over consumption, and the poor diet eaten by Americans. According to David Neguib Pellow, "The volume of thrash that U.S. residents generate has doubled in the past forty years. At 31.5 pounds, the weekly waste output of the average U.S. citizen is the highest in the world. Nearly 90 percent of plastic and 50 percent of the paper generated in the United States end up in landfills". I was extremely saddened to learn that Americans participate in such gross acts of environmental violence. Through my still life I intended to demonstrate that the wastefulness, carelessness, and over consumption of Americans is not sustainable. Eventually, this behavior will destroy the environment and greatly effect the health of the world. Therefore, I chose to photograph thrash in the midst of a graveyard. This symbolizes the environmental degradation occurring as a result of American wastefulness. I also intended to demonstrate that corporations such as McDonald's have began to destroy the American diet. Obsesity, diabetes, and other sicknesses are a result of Americans over indulging in foods that restaurants like McDonald's serves. Therefore, if Americans continue to center their diet around processed and fast foods, their health will be destroyed.