Gr. 12 Photography – Paired Photo Gallery

Inspired by the paired passage exercise (paired passages are passages that are connected or similar in some way) most commonly found in English Literature classes, we used our analysis of photographic design principles and our understanding of storytelling for this project. These paired photos act as a means to use photography to explore conceptual connections between images.

Paired with a World Press photo of their choice, each student will apply everything they’ve learned this semester to draw connections using their own images.

Talia B.

In my image, the model is laying in bed with a distressed emotion on her face. The World Press image is of a man in British Columbia waiting aimlessly to get to his destination. I think the World Press image fits my image because they both tell a story and show emotion in the faces of the subjects. I tried to make it so my model showed similar emotions to the man in the World Press image so it could continue like a story. The images show contrast because the design elements are different. Even though the images are a contrast of each other they fit together because of the raw emotion and story in both images.

Matthew D.

This is a photograph of African Migrants (right – Signal by John Stanmeyer) who are raising their phones at night trying to catch an inexpensive signal from neighbouring Somalia. I think that this World press image contains the element of dynamic tension. This is because the people that are standing near the water are seen in many positions trying to find a signal. Some are raising their phones to the sky, others are browsing on their phone while looking down. This photo makes me think “Did they ever reach a signal?” and “How long will they continue to stand there?”. Only a few colours are present which can help the viewers to focus mostly on what the people are doing. The standing positions of the people help to show dynamic tension, as they seem to be in many different positions that help lead the eyes of the viewers to see what they are doing.

This is a photo I took near the end of last summer at a beach. In this photo, my brother is standing on a shore at a beach watching the water like a bird flies over a group of people in the water. I think this photo is similar to the World press photo because they have a similar element of dynamic tension. They both contain many elements that help move the viewer’s eyes in different directions in the photo. While my brother looks towards the Ocean, you can follow where he is looking at. When you look at the bird, you follow where the bird is headed. The ripples of waves from the water can lead the viewer to look at the bottom of the photo. I feel that both photos have a connection to each other, while the migrants in the world press photo raise their phones to catch a signal, my brother looks towards the water and sees a bird in the sunlight. It is as if my brother received a message from across the water too. This can make you a question: “What does the bird represent?” or “Has a message been received?”. When I first shot this photo, I found it appealing that sunlight had shined down while a Seagull had flown by, my first thoughts while looking at the photo were “Does this represent anything? and “Is this a signal of something?”

Frank G.

The Design Element I chose for Picture #1 is Looking and Interest. I chose this element for my picture because I feel like it represents it very well. When I first saw the picture I didn’t understand what was going on, I was thinking “Why is there a hanging suit and shoes on the floor?”. At first, I thought it was a way to represent the dead, as it almost looks like someone invisible is wearing the suit, but I don’t think that’s the case. There’s something about the photo that radiates an almost calming feeling, and I’m not sure why. Something that caught my eye right away was the curtains. Naturally, because it’s the brightest point in the picture, but also how the whole picture is sort of one tone brightness-wise, but the curtains are illuminated if you will. When I was thinking about how this picture represents the dead, I thought that the bright curtains were heaven reaching in. Another thing I liked about this picture was the colour palette is a wide variety of pinks, which was probably unintentional, but gives the picture a really nice finish. The pink curtains, bedding, table cloth, everything blends together nicely without being too much or over the top.

The Photo I took connects with not only my chosen WPP photo but also with my element Looking and Interest by its overall effect. I chose this picture to pair with my chosen WPP picture for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the WPP photo had a very nice all-pink hue and colour scheme, with a lot of pink elements and colours. There are also a couple of wooden elements in the picture with the bed, table, chair, etc. My picture has a yellow-orange hue and colour scheme with the candle, LED’s, and salt lamp in the reflection of the mirror. Along with the yellow-orange hue, there are a lot of wooden elements, like the desk, pants, credenza, etc.

Another reason I took this picture to pair with my chosen WPP photo is the ghostly effect of the two pictures. There’s something about an empty room that’s all lit up that has a chilling effect on the viewer, there’s also something interesting about the all one colour hue in an empty room.

Olivia K.

The world press photo I had chosen is called Bosa, Bosa, Bosa! By Gianfranco Tripodo. Looking and interest contain how you read and image and approach the photo. Every photo has a meaning to it depending on how you view it. The photo by Gianfranco is a looking and interesting photo I thought. It is showing a young man who is trying to hide from someone underneath a truck. He could be in danger, they could be looking to kill him, he looks very scared, these are possible thoughts that come to my head when I am examining the photo. The looking and interest part comes in place because we are interested in what is going on within the photo, we really look into the photo thinking of all the possible things that could be going on to this guy who is hiding. We also see things depending on our view of the world and our personal experiences, which always makes us determine what and how we see and look at the photo.

The world press photo I had chosen does have some connections towards the photo I had taken. The photo I took is a picture of an old truck in front of an older house. It is very similar to the world press photo other than the real meaning behind the world press photo. My photo doesn’t have much meaning compared to the world press photo as the man is hiding from someone with much fear as if it depends on his life for them not to find him. But they do have some similarities when it comes down to the basic features within the photo. There’s no really an ironic look on the photo nor are there any visual puns.

Marissa M.

This image (top, Log Pile Bouldering by Adam Pretty) reflects the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on rock-climbers. Their gym was closed so they’ve had to take drastic measures to keep up with their training. This athlete has decided to climb logs with no harnesses keeping him up, this is dangerous and makes for a very dramatic shot. The element I chose for this photograph is Pattern. The Log’s surrounding the subject creates an irregular pattern that looks as if they are infinite and continue far past the frame of the initial photograph. There is a “break in the pattern” where the person is placed in the middle of the pattern this creates emphasis and the person becomes the focal point. The skin of the man in this image contrasts with the dark logs behind him, which also gives him emphasis in the piece. Your eyes are naturally guided there. There is a large number of logs, of different sizes, shapes and some have numbers written on them, making the pattern irregular. But, they are all the same colour making it look like one whole around the subject making this a strong pattern against the subject.

This photograph that I took shows an “odd coin out”. It effectively demonstrates the element of pattern. This connects with my chosen WP photo because both photographs have an irregular pattern and a “break in the pattern”. Both photographs use contrast, texture and pattern to create a strong piece and have a good connection to each other. My pattern has continuous silver quarters that extend to the outside of the frames, making the pattern look infinite. The break in the pattern is the bronze penny in the center of the pile. This creates emphasis because of the contrast it produces; it has a difference in colour, size, and shape (as in the picture of the penny) making it the focal point. This photograph relates to the Wp photo because just like the logs surrounding the focal piece, the quarters in my piece don’t all necessarily look the same, but they’re uniform, making a hole around the focal point. In a sense of the meaning behind the photographs, they both connect to show how the world has adapted and changed. The man adapted to the changes of the pandemic by climbing on the logs and our economy has changed to the point where pennies have been discontinued and they aren’t easily found anymore, but sometimes you still find one penny in a pile of quarters. You randomly find one in a pile of what seems ordinary, just like you find that one person willing to risk it all to do the thing he loves.

Samantha M.

The World Press image (left – First Embrace by Mads Nissen) suits my chosen design element based on what is going on today. As a result of the COVID-19, it has changed everyone’s everyday life. People all over the world were stopped from seeing families who weren’t living with them, especially friends. But, as COVID-19 is still going on since January 2020 it is not stopping people from finding a way to get close to each other again. A person who works at Viva Bem care home located in Sao Paulo, Brazil, invented something so simple and genius called “The Hug Curtain” where it allows people to hug each other once again after a very long time. This image represents a “content, weak & strong” perception, just by the emotions that are going on from the actions of the elderly and the nurse. The reason for that is, looking at the 2 people you can see and feel the emotions that are going on. Just by telling, this image has a strong meaning and understanding as to how important this is for them and others. Especially knowing that Brazil was one of the worst countries to globally record 7.7 million cases and 195,000 deaths at the end of 2020. Ever since this even happened, thousands of people around the world have been struggling with anxiety and depression. With this, people have been feeling down and overwhelmed for not seeing friends or family; this is a concern because it can lead to a suicide attack which is something we don’t want to know or go through.

My image connects with my chosen WP Photo because of the element “content, weak & strong”; of how the sharp edges of the leaves represent how COVID-19 struck hard on everybody’s lives. They are opposites in their element of design by the way each one has a different representation for how each photo looks like. The images do have connections to each other; based on my point of view I feel that each leaf on the plant would best represent each person who battled or lost their life from COVID-19.

Ximena M A.

Diana Jarron (bottom – Daily Life by Brenda Ann Kenneally) is a single mother with seven children, four of whom live with her. Diana supports her family by working in a convenience store at a nearby gas station.

Looking and Interest. Art and photography critics have used their own experience and empathy to divine what a viewer might or should get out of a picture. In looking at any scene or image, the eye scans it in fast jumps, moving from one point of interest to another. This happens a lot that most people are unaware of their pattern of looking. Visual weight plays an important role but basically, we put our attention to what is more important to us. I look at this picture and I think of mom yelling at me because the dog is on the table, so I relate this picture to a memory, this is why I picked it but putting more attention, especially to other than the cat, I noticed the family, how tired the mom is and still her kids are eating and she is with them at home. 

Looking and Interest shows what most people tend to agree on, which is the most interesting part of the picture, but this is always tempered by individual experience. Also, artists believe that they can in some way control the way that other people view their work by making arrangements such as cutting the picture, adding filters and more. There are many elements in the picture, so the viewer can create their own story of the man.

My picture is related to the WP that I picked because it has more than one element such as the person in the middle, the sign, the street, the cars in the backroom etc. even with all of this in the picture, it doesn’t look like there is a lot going on and it’s still interesting, also the person has good style and it seems alone but not lonely. It is probably represented as dead, the sign in front of him says dead and he looks old so it could be related.

Brianna M.

This World Press Image (left – Forest Fire by Nuno Andre Ferriera) suits my chosen element of Contrast. This photo fits Contrast because of the degree of colour that is being shown when you look at the subject of the different shades of the fire and the reflection off of the car that is beaming off of the baby. In this Image, there is a wildfire and there are people trying to escape just like this baby who is playing with their little toy/book. When I was looking at the pictures to find what ones I like this image caught my eye, it wasn’t the fire it was the baby who was sitting in their car seat scared while holding their toy/book this baby took all of my attention I didn’t realize that there was the fire until a little while later because this baby just was looking like it wanted help and I don’t know why but I’ve never seen fear in someone like that.

I went to Niagara Falls this past weekend on Saturday and went to see the Light Festival that they were having. I took several pictures of different spaces, animals, the water where it was all reflecting but this Polar Bear just stood out to me as I was taking the pictures surrounding it. This image connects to the one that I chose from the World Press Photos because of the way that Nuno Andre Feria was capturing the photo of the baby I was trying to capture it the same way with the Polar Bear. I think they do have similarities with each other because on the WP Image you can see that it is darker in the tree area wherein the sky is lighter and on the car, it had a shadow of the darkness of the orange. I think the cell phone did play a role in taking my picture because it has a different perspective as it adds: contrast with a bit of a blur in the background. I don’t think they can be connected because it’s two totally different perspectives with different visions of what it would be like with the baby in the car and the wildfire in the background compared to the  Polar Bear where it has a bit of the tree’s blurred but it doesn’t give that full wow factor that really stands out to one another. These photos are not a visual pun.

Marco N.

My chosen design element is dynamic tension, and the way that the polar bear and her cub are positioned in this photograph really show this element. Dynamic tension “makes use of the energy inherent in various structures, and uses it to keep the eye alert and moving outward from the center of the picture” (Freeman, 44). In the image, the mother polar bear seems to be analyzing her surroundings whilst the cub is on its two legs identifying a flag. I think this represents a child’s obliviousness and fascination with new objects and things in general, while the guardian more seriously makes sure that the two of them are safe. Another interesting quality of the picture is that the only colours in it are black and white, aside from the red flag which makes them stand out very prominently.

My photograph in comparison to the chosen press photo is similar as they both convey family. A mother and her cub, and my mother and father. My photograph also shows dynamic tension as my mom and dad’s body language are in opposites of each other, my mom looking right and my dad looking left but both at the centre point of the photo.

Adrianna P.

The world press photo that I have chosen is called ‘Covid-19 Pandemic in France’. It was taken during the beginning of the Covid pandemic when everything was shut down and people weren’t allowed to leave their houses. This image suits the design element of looking and interest and balance. If you imagine a line down the middle of the photo it is almost identical on either side making it symmetrical, which makes it interesting to look at. Since the streets are empty, you get a better look at the buildings and architecture. The details of the statues in the middle of the street and the details on the building are what caught my eye and made this photo interesting to look at. I also think that the photo gives off the feeling of isolation which I think makes this photo that much more interesting because when I look at this photo it brings back all of the emotions that I was feeling when Covid first happened.

The image I shot was at a local outdoor skating rink. These photos connect because they are a representation of how much life has changed since the beginning of covid. I associate the beginning of Covid with anxiety and loneliness, we were separated from loved ones and went out only when we absolutely had to. In comparison, in this current stage of Covid that we are in, we have a lot more freedom with what we can do (even given this recent lockdown). We are allowed to see our loved ones (in small groups) and it’s not as lonely as before. We are learning how to adapt. I chose to shoot the skating rink because it is something that reminds me of togetherness. People can meet up with others and go for a leisure skate and spend time with one another. The photos are also compositionally similar. I incorporated balance into it since the world press photo is symmetrical. I also incorporated the element of looking and interest because of all the different people in the photo, as they each have their own lives and stories which makes it that much more interesting.

Sabrina P.

The World Press image (left- The Aftermath of the North East Delhi Riots by Zishaan A Latif) suits my chosen design element of contrast. Beginning on February 23, 2020, the North East Delhi riots were a series of devastation, destruction and rioting in North East Delhi, India, primarily triggered by Hindu mobs assaulting Muslims. Hundreds of wounded were suffering in understaffed hospital institutions more than a week after the violence ended, and bodies were being discovered in various places. Many Muslims were still missing by mid-March; 53 Muslims were pronounced dead as they were considered the targets for such violence. These riots were caused because a group targeted another group due to their racial demographic; this is known as a hate crime. I think this photo demonstrates contrast in two different ways: dynamically and through tones. The image ironically portrays a sense of devastation and peace both at the same time; on one hand, we are able to see the destruction of peoples’ homes and all the debris that was left behind. On the other hand, we see the sun rays shining through the darkness and the bird that is sitting peacefully on top of a piece of the debris. The meaning of this photo is contrasted so any viewer is able to feel a variety of emotions while analyzing the image. Contrast is also shown through the tones and colours of the photo as well; in a dark, glum room we can see an opening that is bright and uplifting. This almost open doorway symbolizes the “light at the end of the tunnel” because the rioting is over and peace is finally able to rise up. The degree of difference between the lightest lights and darkest darks juxtapose each other, creating contrast within the image. Contrasting through tones allows viewers to understand the image clearly and focus on the focal points that are being highlighted.

My photo was taken this summer at a museum I visited in Toronto. It is connected with my chosen WP Photo because visually, these images are very similar. Both photos are taken in a dark room focusing on the bright, sunny doorway or window in the middle of the photograph. My shot also demonstrates the design element of contrast because again, the light and dark contrast each other allowing the viewer to focus on the lighter section. I think these images really connect to one another because in the WP Photo we are able to see the destruction of the village when looking through the door frame; in my shot, we are able to see a fully built city when looking through the window. The relationship between both photos is ironic because they can also contrast each other, giving a sense of a before and after shot.

Ed P.

I think the appropriate design element for the world press photograph taken By Nadya Buzhan is Dynamic Balance. This element of design refers to balancing a photograph that has a larger object (often closer to the lens of the camera), with a single or numerous smaller objects usually located further away from the camera. This is done by placing the larger object closer to the middle of the photograph in order to compensate for the far-away small objects. In the photograph by Nadya, The lady waiting for her husband by the door are the larger focus and is therefore positioned closer to the middle. This means that even though there are more gates and a large wall on the left side of the image, the singular lady and the door manage to balance out the image. This is very effective, as it allows the viewer, with a quick glance, to analyze what is happening in the image. After this, the viewer notices the sheer size of the building, noted by the wall and the height of at least 4 stories, all located on the left side of the photograph further away. The connection between the two sides is then made, and a realization that there are countless people held inside that waiting facility is made. This is great at provoking emotions like hopelessness, fear, and anger, which are all likely being experienced by the lady in the image. If this image was shot straight on with no dynamic balance, the viewer’s eyes would struggle to find an order in which to view the image. The building might be the first thing noticed, which would throw off the story and emotions provoked by the lady beside the door. Using dynamic balance, the photographer was able to compact a large story into a single photograph. It created an order of importance by which we view the photograph, telling us a story as our eyes move throughout the image. If only the door and lady were included, it would take away from the depth of the photograph. The building in the background allows the viewer to imagine the stories of countless others being detained inside the Belarusian building.

This picture was shot in a school bus parking zone which I found a couple of miles down while walking around. The first and very visible connection that can be made is the element of Dynamic Balance, which is present in both of the photographs. In my photo, the woman and the door are replaced by the wheel and front bumper of the school bus. Just like the world press photo, there are smaller objects which are further away from the camera in order to create balance in the image. These objects are the school buses on the left side of the image. Additionally, there is a good amount of contrast in both my photograph and the one taken by Nadya. The navy blue door is dark and sticks out when compared to the tan/white wall, which can be seen around the door and all over the wall in the distance. In my photo, this contrast starts at the wheel, which is a rich black/grey. The bumper beside the wheel is the classic neon yellow seen on all school buses. This neon yellow, just like the tan in the world press photo, can be seen in the distance of the photograph. Instead of being a wall, the contrasting colour is seen on the line of school busses on the left side of the image. Besides being very related in elements of design, the images also evoke the same emotions upon a closer look. The lady in the world press photo is seen waiting, hoping her husband makes walks out, but losing hope as every minute passes. In many ways, we are like that lady during this pandemic; slowly waiting for this to go back to normal, losing hope as the months go by. The school buses remind me of when things were normal, back when everyone went to school, happy, without a worry in the world. Many of the school busses in the lot were in horrible condition, waiting for the day that they would be repaired and used daily. The rusty bolts on the wheel along with the many busses in the distance evoke the same tiring and hopelessness that can be felt when looking at the world press photo. The woman’s husband has been detained for months, creating an emptiness within her which she hopes to fill by meeting him again. In my photo, this lady is replaced by the busses waiting to be filled with joyful kids who spark up the bus with laughter and conversation, something which has not been that apparent in the last year or 2. Both of the photographs have a grim, depressing theme that is not quite visible at first glance. This theme is also supported by the colours seen in my photo and Nadya’s. There is a lot of greys in the world press photo, like on part of the wall, the building, the asphalt and some of the sky. In my photo, these greys can be seen in the majority of the sky as well as most of the ground which is covered in snow. These shades help contribute to the glum themes seen in both of the images.

Ana T.

What is happening in the chosen image depicts properties in the Shiv Vihar quarter of North East Delhi, India, on March 3rd, 2020, a few days after sectarian riots in the district. On that day and after hundreds of wounded were languishing in inadequately staffed medical facilities and corpses were being found in open drains. Thousands of people in Delhi were killed and their homes were looted as well as burned. In late February 2020, protests turned to riot in areas of North East Delhi, in what became the worst sectarian violence in the Indian capital in decades. At least 53 people, mostly Muslims, were killed and the property was destroyed. I believe the image itself is to convey racism against Muslims and bring more awareness about it. It projects the aftermath of the riots. The riots mainly targeted Muslims due to racial violence. The aftermath of what happened proves to us that we need to be more aware of hate crimes. We are not aware of hate crimes or riots because it doesn’t usually happen here in Canada. The photo also has another meaning to it which is to show the aftermath of hate crimes in less fortunate places. How people are being taken advantage of because of who they are. I believe the photo teaches us that we need to spread more awareness about racism and violence. It shows the aftermath of the tragedy. Being aware of racism in our daily world would make great differences in society such as fewer wars, deaths and insecurities. It would bring positivity and peace to people treating others with kindness more. The element design that fits the most for my world press photo is contrast because for a variety of reasons such as lighting, light and heavy, strong and weak. The lighting in the photo is light outside the tunnel, the sunlight projects into the dark tunnel. Outside of the sunlight, the reflection projection from outside is dark. There is a contrast between light and dark (chiaroscuro), between shapes, colours and sensations. The light spots are outside the tunnel since there’s sunlight. The heavy is inside the tunnel and outside the center, there appears to be a shadow. The colours are a variety of them such as black, warm yellow, some white and silver. Black and white is another contributing contrast. Another element of design is figure and ground because, in the harsh sunlight, the contrast between light and shade is extreme, and cropping the frame carefully so that the area of the lights dark are equal creates a figure-ground ambiguity – more so because the light is normally expected to stand forward from the dark. As the background is light this creates a visual alternation, increasing its abstraction. What is behind the focus of interest is the background, and in many well-designed and satisfying images, it complements the subject. At one moment the dark tones advance, at another they recede. The two examples shown in the photo, silhouette, have the same technique as the calligraphy: the real background is lighter than the real subject.

The photograph I took is the opposite of the original. It shows that there is no war as to where we live. It is more of freedom and peace, unlike unfortunate countries. Through the photo, I took I wanted to show a representation of what I place without war is like. I wanted to spread awareness through my photo by showing that we need to be more aware of violent hate crimes that lead to war. We aren’t aware of war and its seriousness when it comes to it. The similarity within both of the photos is the lighting. They’re both dark and gloomy. Their contrast is similar because they are lighter and darker shades.

Nicole T.

The World Press image that I selected suits my chosen design element, balance. Photographic balance is defined as a visual technique that compares opposite sides of an image so that the subject is equal in visual weight. In the textbook, The Photographer’s Eye, the author states that terms like gravity and weight are often utilized to describe what creates the balancing forces in a photo. The equal weight and gravity of this photo make it so that you could almost perfectly cut the image in half and have two identical sides. In the World Press image, these descriptors are incredibly evident in how the photo gravitates your gaze down the center of the hallway. It is able to gravitate your gaze in this way because of how simple and balanced the rest of the image appears to be. It allows the viewer to effortlessly appreciate the photographer’s intent for the image as the viewer’s eye is being guided precisely to where the photographer wants them to look. The use of the formal, photographic element of line also helps to emphasize this gravitational pull. It even helps to accentuate the balance as each of the lines in the tunnel are evenly and symmetrically placed. In the circular tunnel, the lines create large circles that span from the floor to the ceiling. These circles continuously appear about every meter down the tunnel. The decrease in tunnel size also shrinks the circle sizes, leading your eye to a small target at the end of the tunnel, adding elements like perspective and depth.

The World Press image that I chose for this assignment also captures various and unique architectural aspects in a European metro station. Although there is no description of the photo’s intent, the lack of people in this typically busy setting allows one to speculate. The photographer was possibly going to work in the early morning hours and was able to capture these serene scenes without capturing any other commuters or unanticipated ‘photobombs’.

My shot was taken in San Juan, Puerto Rico while walking through one of the old military barracks in Castillo San Felipe del Morro (or El Morro). In the past, the rooms behind each entryway housed military soldiers. The soldiers living in these quarters were initially enlisted to protect the city from outside invasions. My image connects with my chosen World Press photo as both incorporate the element of balance. The walls, floors, and ceiling all help create a balanced look because of their equal visual weight. These elements lead the eye forwards through each of the arches in the image to a vanishing point. Even though both images involve different settings, they both showcase interesting architectural walkways that divide the picture and create balance.

Caitlin W.

A patient (right – Doctor Peyo and Mister Hassen by Jeremy Lempin) in the Séléne Palliative Care Unit at the Centre Hospitalier de Calais, in Calais, France has metastatic cancer and in embracing her 7-year-old son, the horse is used in Animal-assisted therapy, is used in many clinical environments, especially in psychological therapy and palliative care. The use of animals in these situations has proven to help reduce anxiety and stress, and also to have physical effects, such as lowering blood pressure, improving heart rate, or helping in pain management. This is meant to create a bond between humans and animals which provides peace, comfort and companionship to patients that have terminal illnesses. Horses seem particularly suited for palliative care as they are especially in tune with their surroundings.

For me, horses have always been able to calm me when I’m uneasy. They make it seem as though. They have helped me through major stress and anxiety because they have kind eyes and claim personas, the atmosphere they create is a peaceful one. The image I took creates a similar atmosphere, using the horse’s eye as the main viewpoint and the element of visual weight truly helps embrace the viewer into their own sense of peace. Both images are used as a way to provide a calming atmosphere to the viewers. In the World Press Photo, it captures a moment where the horse was able to provide a connection to the mother and ease the pain that she is in. The images visually connect for the understanding of animal-human relationships.