Most Alive

The past 8 months haven't been easy! Its been stressful, frustrating, time consuming, and even aggravating at times. But not once have I wanted to stop. If anything I want to take photos even more now then I did before I started at PrairieView. I am blown away with the knowledge I have soaked up in the past 8 months. From my first steps into a dark room, to studio lights, to learning how to run my own business. Its been such an incredible experience. Its such a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by artists, people who's passion for photography is as fiery as your own. I have made some amazing new friends, and its almost like we're a little prairie view family.

I am defiantly a people photographer! I really enjoy taking a simple portrait and making it creative or quirky. One of our assignments this year was called 'song interpretation'. We had to pick a song and create a series of photographs inspired by the song. I chose the song Haegt kemur Ijósið by Olafur Arnalds. He is one of my favourite artists! 

I took portraits of people I knew, and surrounded them with a cloud that has a colour or texture on it which represents their personality or aura. I wanted the photographs to be dreamy and surreal like the song. For the presentation in class, I hung the clouds i used in the photographs from the ceiling to create a dreamy mood. 

Kelsey

Instagramed photo of my presentation 

A recent assignment that was given to us really challenged our knowledge of light! We had to pick a advertisement with a person in it and replicate it. I chose a cover of Vogue that had Diane Krugger on it. Here is a comparison of the original and my final image!

Right Original Left Final image (model Cassie)

A few weeks ago I convinced Cassie to let me paint her face for a portrait series I want to start. So we we stayed after school one day and I casually splattered water colour paint on Cassie's face. Never a dull moment at PV! Here is the raw image and my final processed piece. 

A new found love for me is film! I have come to love spending time in the darkroom developing film and making prints. I've recently developed (pun intended) a deep love for medium format film! These are a few medium format that I took recently! 

And here are some photographs of a wedding I photographed on 35mm film that was developed in instant coffee!

Every week we get a board assingment. We are emailed a theme and challenged to come up with a photo to suit that theme. We then have to get it printed and put it up in the school. The begins the battle for the green dots. The teachers go around and give green dots to the best photo for that week. This was my favourite photo I have done for bored assignment this year. The theme was 'exploring points of view'

Cocoon

And lastly some silly photos taken around the school. 

Sophia, Kelsey, Cassie. We thought it would be funny to take 'jumping photos'

I have two more months left to spent at prairie view. And just like the past 8, in a blink of an eye they will pass. Looking back on everything I have no regrets. Its been a journey, but one that I have enjoyed and have learnt a lot from. There is something really special about being able to do what you love, what you're passionate about. 

“We never know what is going to happen, do we? Life is always throwing us this way and that. That’s where the adventure is. Not knowing where you’ll end up or how you’ll fare. It’s all a mystery, and when we say any different, we’re just lying to ourselves. Tell me, when have you felt most alive?”

—	Eowyn Ivey, The Snow Child

Megan Wilson
PV Diploma Student
2012-13