Personal reflection

Overall, this project was very important to me both on an artistic and emotional level. I really enjoyed learning more about my home and even discovered a newfound appreciation for it. 

There were a number of technical and literary obstacles that I came across throughout the process. For starters, I joined the class in the middle of the year so I had a substantial gap in knowledge, and on top of that, I didn't have my own camera until later on so really, I was learning as I went along. My second challenge was the weather. Because of the time of year, the weather was very unpredictable so I had to take advantage of any day that had good sun. but I didn't always succeed, the weather sometimes deceived me and the sun hid behind the clouds for the remainder of the day. Despite this, I tried my best to use the days of good weather to my advantage and make use of good lighting and photography conditions. My third challenge was solidifying my idea. I took shots that didn't end up serving my vision for the project, but even then those tests brought me closer to understanding what it was that I was creating. My fourth and final challenge was time. I do believe that if I had more time I would have been able to visit all the places I wanted to go to and represent more narratives. 

Despite all of these challenges, I am still extremely proud of what I've created considering the lack of time and experience. Each test was a learning experience that gave me a chance to improve not only my skill but my photographic communication, using my lens to create a narrative. This project also gave me an excuse to visit places I normally wouldn’t go out of my way to visit and learn more about my village's history and story through visiting these places. 

My hope is that I was able to translate the story and beauty of my village onto the audience and that they get to see Isifya through my eyes.