wednesday, december 19, 2012
The
Evergreen
arts
11
Young Arts
cont’d from page 1 To apply in the photography division, students must submit a primary five-photo concentration accompanied by an artist statement, five images of breadth to demonstrate range, and a contact sheet with 2025 images from their entire highschool career—a total of 30-35 photos in all. Margot, Jeffry, and Sophia’s work ranges from traditional film and digital work to more unusual pieces, such as ambrotypes and photograms. argot’s concentration presents street life.
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“There’s some sort of innate connection that we have as humans which is very evident through street culture,” Margot said. “I observed different hindrances to that connection like technology and other distractions.”
Besides the five pieces from her concentration, Margot also has five pieces that demonstrate her use of different chemicals to alter images. “I definitely want to continue [photography] in some way,” Margot said. “There’s something very artistic that I know will be a recurring theme of my life.” Margot has been involved in photography throughout her high school career and her YoungArts submission photos are taken in different places, from Florence, Italy to Tanzania. “The first time I started doing photo I was living in Florence for the summer. I spent a lot of time in the dark room and producing imagery. Then the next summer I spent a month in Tanzania teaching English and that’s where a lot of culture exploration happened for me,” Margot said.
Photos courtesy of Sophia Haid
Photo courtesy of Jeffry Valadez
With almost three hours of Margot’s day devoted to photography, it has been a defining part of her Greenhill experience. “It’s definitely grounded me here. Having the Fine Arts department and Mr. Lopez has provided me with Photo courtesy of Margot Masinter some sort of place in the community. It’s defined my PICTURE PERFECT: Junior Sophia Haid and seniors Margot Masinter and Jeffry Vatime at Greenhill.” ladez have all been recognized by YoungArts for their photography. effry’s primary On a deeper level, Sophia 17, 2011). concentration is “The two worlds are really centered on expression and said she appreciates the city’s blend of Christian, Spanish, and colliding together. That culture its subtleties. bleeds into our world,” Sophia “Because emotions are tribal influences. “I try to go to every church I said. “As the Hispanic community universal, they cross any cultural or pass by,” she said. “They’re just so becomes a bigger part of our lives economic boundaries,” he said. Two of the five photos are overwhelmingly beautiful— nothing here, it’s not something we can ignore or hide from.” images of his parents, taken like the churches here.” Mexico hosts a variety of ethnic Sophia knew none of her digitally. The other three, shots of Greenhill students and faculty, are groups, such as indigenous tribes, subjects. As she explored the city, ambrotypes, positives created on Europeans, and Americans. Sophia she would zero in on a person she glass. These were the most time- attempts to capture that richness in found interesting and follow them her photography. for a few minutes, camera poised. consuming photos. “One of her strengths is her “I had to be kind of sneaky “When you’re doing a shoot with ambrotypes, you spend a ability to to take her own culture about it,” she said. “I like the fact period prepping, an hour shooting, and expound upon that culture that I could catch something about and then you have to clean up, so and expound upon her religion them without them being aware of I would say two hours for a shoot and indigenous peoples,” Mr. the photograph.” This type of street photography where you may get one image,” Jeffry Lopez said. Her photography hits a more gives Sophia a sense of exhilaration said. “And the entire submission was personal level as well. and a taste of adventure. 35 pictures.” “My concentration was a study “Like how runners get this Jeffry started photography his sophomore year, and due to of the people of Mexico but also high, you get this high from being so his talent, was able to advance to a study of myself, because I see so engrossed in the moment and always Honors photography by the start of much of myself in my subjects and paying attention to everything the people that I’ve encountered around you,” she said. “It takes a lot his junior year. “Those were the times when there,” Sophia said. “It’s a lot about of energy from you, but at the same I literally had no life,” Jeffry said. understanding yourself. It’s looking time it’s really rewarding.” Currently, Sophia is working “I spent my breaks, before school, at other people and connecting with on a concentration of self-portraits, after school, during lunch—I think them at the same time.” Sophia never had a quinceañera which she will bring with her I was spending three hours a day in photography. And I just wanted to and does not practice Catholicism to Young Arts Week in Miami. devoutly, yet she still values According to Mr. Lopez, the work to get better.” reach this point has been rigorous, He even built a darkroom in her heritage. Her submission includes and it will only increase in rigor. his bathroom, blocking out all the light and screwing in red lightbulbs several photographs in Mexico City During YoungArts Week, Sophia to create the proper environment to churches: a man sitting in the pews and her peers will shoot a new with his eyes closed in silent reverie, concentration of photos in Little produce his ambrotypes. For Jeffry, art is inarguably a a young boy standing next to a Havana, a Miami neighborhood. part of his future. He is considering large mural inside a church, various They will later present these in a combination of art schools and statues and portraits of saints, a a critique. Mr. Lopez said that Greenhill art programs within universities simple black-and-white shot of has a reputation for great work. to foster his dream of being an a cross. “I’m still fascinated by it, Among Greenhill’s recent YoungArts art curator. “It is a tremendous amount of although that tradition doesn’t apply finalists are David Molay ’10 (photography) and Bronsin Ablon work,” Jeffry said. “We’re not just to me,” she said. In addition, Sophia aims to ’12 (3D Art). submitting average images; we have However, for Mr. Lopez, the to be proud of everything we send. shed light on the Mexican culture awards aren’t the goal. He is more The fact that a lot of us were able to for an American audience. “Mexico is so close to us, yet interested in helping students complete that in itself is something it is so misunderstood. People just express themselves. we should all be proud of.” “I want my students to have ophia’s concentration have this idea of it that is really consisted of pieces from flawed,” she said. “I want to show a a voice through the work they are a street photography different side of the Mexican people producing,” he said. For amateur photographers, series she shot over the summer in that they are just people. They while visiting family in Mexico have the same kinds of emotions Sophia offers insight into how to City, where her mother grew up. and experiences that all people have. find that voice. “Take the time to just observe,” Sophia said that, being half- A whole different culture, yes, but she said. “Take a second to take a Mexican, she is captivated by Mexico people just like us.” Her mission is especially look around you and appreciate City’s ambience. “I love the vibe and energy relevant in Texas, where the Hispanic something in a way that you haven’t of the city,” she said. “There’s population is the fastest-growing before. It takes a lot of introspection so much life on the street. population in the state, according and refreshing the way you see to the New York Times (Feb. the world.” It’s everywhere.”
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