FINAL PROJECT

Final Project


As I reflect on the present state of our country, I can’t help but worry and feel a sense of sadness because of the current events that are taking place. In the past few years, we have seen an increase in racial and political divide, stress and chaos from the Covid pandemic, and an increase in violence in the United States. From the Black Lives Matter movement following the many police involved killings of Black men and women to the current ICE protest, our country has and still continues to experience difficult and trying times. Oppression, inequality, unfair treatment, and most of all hate are slowly taking over our communities and our country as a whole. In these times, I like many others, have to work hard to find peace in the midst of the chaos of the world. While hatred and violence are a reality, peace, love, unity, joy, and tranquility still exist. The goal and purpose of my final project was to shine the light on these positive emotions and dim the light on negativity like hate. My inspiration for this project came from Walk 1, Mapping Senses when I photographed the ICE protest and Walk 5, Walk in Your Name when I recorded areas of South Los Angeles that have been affected by gun violence in honor of my uncle that was murdered. I completed this project with the idea in mind that “Peace, Love, and Unity can Exist Even in the Midst of Hate”.


The equipment I used for the project was my camera. I used models for some of the pictures to create the vision I desired to relay the message of peace, love, unity, joy, and tranquility. I wanted to present the message that above all of the hatred in the world we can still experience these positive emotions. I chose to create images for the photos using objects, the background of nature, and pieces of nature like rocks and bricks. I used the pictures to create a form of a typology of art in photography, with each picture being different but relaying the same message. In the process of completing my project, I felt a sense of hope that peace can and does still exist in our world. Sometimes it may be right in front of us like a calming waterfall or we may have to create it ourselves which I chose to do through photography. I hope that this project encourages others to explore ways to create peace, love, joy, unity, and tranquility in their lives in this present world.










Comments

  1. Aubrey WittmerJuly 10, 2025 at 8:48 AM

    I really like this direction you went with this project and the subject. It is fascinating how you dived more deeply into this subject matter since it is so important with what is happening with the world right now. Although it would still be interesting to go with that rock painting idea you had still and adding it to this project, I think it would make it even more interesting, so you involve other people to join in your project because maybe they have things to say about this situation as well.

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  2. Aaliyah M. ReyesJuly 10, 2025 at 1:31 PM

    Hi Jonathan, I really love your project! It resonates with me a lot since my project is about resistance and unity. I really appreciate that you chose to focus on peace, love, and joy instead of centering around the negativity we’re often overwhelmed by. Maybe you could also try experimenting with adding short positive quotes alongside the photos to help viewers connect even more deeply with the emotions you’re trying to share. Overall, your project is really well done!

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