The Collaborynth

November 8, 2021 | pauldigerolamo

The URBN center at Drexel, the main building for the majority of my classes, is just about one of the most complicated buildings I’ve been in. There are a number of twists and turns and dips on every floor, making it very easy to get lost. However, that’s exactly what you want if you’re getting lost in the world of photography. I explored all four floors before my Monday class looking for the coolest color shots I could find, and captured quite a few great ones.

Enjoy.

The First collection

November 4, 2021 | pauldigerolamo

This is a collection of my first photos within my photography class, using my Cannon Rebel T7 for the first time. These are all of my favorite photos from the class that focus on contrast and volume.

Enjoy

Obfuscation Portraiture

November 4, 2021 | pauldigerolamo

In my photography class, we were often instructed to take a total of 72 shots that we could put on a singular sheet, then choose our favorite 6 out of all those. Each assignment had a different focus to it; contrast, volume, portraiture, and while I was very fond of the first two aspects, I simply did not feel very comfortable taking pictures of myself or others. I pushed through it eventually out of necessity, but the Covid setting made it difficult to find others that would be a part of my project, and I did not like how I looked in my own photographs. As such, I was rarely the focus of my pictures, but if I was, my face was obscured our out of focus in some way. After applying that theme to the project, I was able to capture some interesting shots. Here are a select few of my favorites.

Enjoy.

The big kids

November 3, 2021 | pauldigerolamo

(BE ADVISED: This video contains some intense themes and a frame that may be sensitive for some viewers)

This was my final animation project for my Design for Media class, the requirements being very simple: just make it mostly black and white and be creative with your designs. I took it as an opportunity to take a deep dive into my emotions again, making something of it to perhaps portray it in a more tangible way. I was in a pretty bad mental state in my first term, feeling the all imposing isolation of Covid restrictions and my fears of inadequacy amongst my peers. By the end though, I was feeling quite a bit better, the quality of this project partially giving me a boost in confidence.

Drawn in Firealpaca, animated in Krita.

Wandering Regrets

November 2, 2021November 2, 2021 | pauldigerolamo

The only photography class I’ve taken was taught in black and white, so that is what I am most familiar with. That’s definitely not a bad thing though, because I’ve gotten really good at it. I particularly enjoy using the lack of color to put emphasis on other design features of each photo, such as the geometry and framing, which is the main variable in this set. I had gone out with my friend Sydney to capture some, since she is taking the class this term and I wanted to explore the limits of contrast with her. Despite the melancholic demeanor of these few, we had a good time.

That being said, the theming behind this little collection is based on some thoughts that pass through my head at times, like weary travelers looking for a place to stay for a while. I take them in and turn them into something beautiful. It’s an interesting double standard, how most of the joy in my life comes from my creative outlets, photography included, yet my main inspiration is rooted in despair. Perhaps it’s the thought that my free-flowing ambitions aren’t enough on their own, as a career. “Visions Imprisoned,” I feel, best captures this emotion, for my will to create will need to be shelled up into the inflexible foundation of societal worth, an artistic eye peering through metal bars.

Enjoy.

Human Cells

November 2, 2021November 2, 2021 | pauldigerolamo

One of my favorite things about photography is the use of lighting and color to give a whole new meaning to a subject. The geometry and makeup of a subject matter has its own allure, in the sense of choosing what angle you want to snap the shot at, making them more visually interesting, but the entire mood of a piece can shift based on the color and brightness of what you’re seeing. Though in part because I have not yet experimented with the brighter options that my Cannon has to offer, I find it much more intriguing to explore the power of darkness in my photos. Sadness and fear, though often seen negatively in our modern world, are often a lot more fun to experiment with in the art world for just how raw it can get. For this collection of photos in particular, I used a low ISO and deep shadows to capture elements of the building I live in, along with an extended metaphor of a building being comparable to a living body, to create an incredibly ominous and foreboding experience through each capture.

Enjoy.