CREATIVE/VISUAL ESSAYS

EXHIBIT: Melancholy

By Candice Chow, 1st year MIT

This semester I am taking MIT1070 taught by Professor Bello. When prompted with a visual essay project, I wanted to convey the sharp discrepancies between the two states of mind: blissfulness and melancholy. The uninteresting setting of a public park and public transit dissociates the character from the setting and connects the images to the character’s emotions.

01: Girl smiling while waiting for streetcar. Medium Close Up & Eye Level Shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189).
Image by Candice Chow

02: Girl giggling outside while dancing. Medium Long Shot & Low Angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 189).
Image by Candice Chow

03: Girl smiling at camera. Close-Up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) & Flat Space (Block, 16-18).
Image by Candice Chow

04: Girl’s smile fading while looking to the side. Medium Shot & Fast Motion (Bordwell and Thompson, 189).
Image by Candice Chow

05: Girl walking away with skateboard. Ambiguous Space & One-Point Perspective (Block, 16-18).
Image by Candice Chow

06: Girl abount to go down children’s slide. Long Shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) & Deep Space (Block, 16-18).
Image by Candice Chow

07: Girl’s resting face. Close-Up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) & Limited Space (Block, 16-18).
Image by Candice Chow

08: Girl seated in the middle of the road, unbothered. Long Shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) & Flat Space (Block, 16-18).
Image by Candice Chow

09: Girl looking away from the camera. Medium Close Up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) & Low Angle (Block, 16-18).
Image by Candice Chow

10: Girl waiting again for streetcar, thinking. Medium Long Shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) & Deep Space (Block, 16-18).
Image by Candice Chow

EXHIBIT: Untitled Visual Essay

By George Gialelis, 1st year MIT

I made the visual essay on February 7, 2021 for an assignment in my MIT 1070 class. We were told to take 10 pictures and organize them in a way so that the viewer can comprehend what is going on. While making the visual essay we were given specific criteria to include which was using different camera angles and the subcomponents of space. The inspiration to make mine about a student athlete who is struggling with school work and uses her passion for basketball as an escape came from the idea that many university students, like myself, find it difficult to make time for the things they love.

01: Student athlete gets out of school and has a lot of work to do. Medium long shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) and two-point perspective (Block, 18).
Image by George Gialelis

02: Student athlete is stressed about her schoolwork. Long shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189).
Image by George Gialelis

03: Looks at her failed tests. Medium close up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) and deep space, focus (Block, 42).
Image by George Gialelis

04: Student athlete gets frustrated at her bad marks and starts to cry. Extreme close up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189).
Image by George Gialelis

05: She picks up a basketball and becomes a little happier. Medium shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) and deep space, overlap (Block, 41).
Image by George Gialelis

06: She ties up her basketball shoes. Medium close up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) and canted shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 188).
Image by George Gialelis

07: Student athlete starts to warm up by dribbling the ball. Medium long shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) and deep space, movement (Block, 28) and three-point perspective (Block, 22).
Image by George Gialelis

08: Starts to practice her shot and is feeling even happier. Medium shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189).
Image by George Gialelis

09: Continues to practice her jump shot. Long shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) and high angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 188) and deep space, 3D pictures (Block, 42).
Image by George Gialelis

10: Student athlete is finished practicing and is going back inside to finish schoolwork. Medium long shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189).
Image by George Gialelis

EXHIBIT: A Day in the Life of Kelly

By Sarah Houle, 1st year MIT

This project was made for my MIT 1070 class. It is a visual essay displaying the everyday life of one of my friends who also attends Western University. With Covid-19 it is difficult to make ideas come to life, by using “A day in the Life” it allows people to relate to everything going on while still staying safe.

01: Mirror Reflection
Image by Sarah Houle

EXHIBIT: Dinner for Two

By Sierra Jones, 1st year MIT

Dinner for Two is a Visual Essay I created for my MIT 1070 class. I wanted to explore the concept of mourning and dealing with loss. The story follows a woman remembering her lost lover and setting up one last dinner before letting them go. The ghost of her lover comes to her but not as the person they were but a hollow shell of a human spirit. In the end, the woman realizes that the person she loved was gone forever, but letting go is never easy.

EXHIBIT: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence

By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach, 3rd year MPI

This interactive creation project asks participants to analyze several news article clippings which report on sexualized violence in North America. We hope that this project can offer people the opportunity become conscious of how they may uphold rape culture through the use of language.

Page 1: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 2: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 3: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 4: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 5: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 6: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 7: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 8: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 9: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 10: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

Page 11: Accepted and Expected: An Exploration of North American News Reporting of Sexualized Violence
By Julia Martins and Brandon Roach

EXHIBIT: Wash Day

By Stephany Obianaewu, 1st year MIT

This submission was done as an assignment for my MIT 1070 class. The idea of selecting my topic for my visual essay came from a conversation I had with my mom earlier this week surrounding the term “wash day” and its history within the black community. Now hearing this you may ask yourself what is “wash day” and what does it have to do with the black community? Well for those not apart of the black community “wash day” doesn’t happen to be just a day where one washes their hair, but it happens to be a ritual in which every black girl experiences. You see growing up black, we are raised and taught to always keep our hair maintained because it inadvertently was a representation of our mothers. Therefore, once a week our mothers would dedicate a whole day to washing and styling our hair, now you must be thinking that this sounds like a stretch because washing and styling hair couldn’t simply take up a whole day. Well, it couldn’t be further from the truth, as every black girl knows it a process that often takes from morning to night. You see for those of us who grew up with unruly curls, we would often dread the day due to the longevity of the progress as well as all emotions that came with it. For hours and hours, we were subjected to sit and endure through continuous washing, detangling, sectioning, and braiding hair in order to achieve maintained hair. This shared experience is symbolic as it represents black culture as well the history attached to “wash day”. I choose to photograph my little sister Isabella as she went throughout the process of “wash day” to show the extent in which black girls have to endure to maintain their hair. Often times black hair is not shown the love and appreciation it needs and deserves. Therefore, I felt it fitting with it being Black History Month to dedicate my visual essay to showcase the beauty which is black hair. Hopefully my visual essay will help you understand “wash day” as well as understand its significance to our culture and history.

01: Isabella’s hair in the morning prior to “wash day”. High Angle (Bordwell and Thompson)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

02: My mom using a hair-steamer to detangle the hair before washing it. Low Angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) and Size Difference (Block, 27)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

03: Isabella crying during washing her hair. Extreme Close Up (Block and Thompson, 189)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

04: Isabella fixing her wrap towel in the mirror. One-Point Perspective (Block, 16-18)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

05: Sectioning and Parting the hair. Medium Close up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

06: The spray bottle that is used throughout “wash day”. Focus (Block, 42) and Flat Space (Block)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

07: Coffee hair mask used to deep condition Isabella’s hair. Textural Diffusion (Block, 34-35) and Limited Space (Block, 52)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

08: Isabella eating while deep conditioning her hair. Canted Level (Bordwell and Thompson, 188)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

09: My mom completing Isabella’s final two sections of braids. Deep Space using Depth Cue (Block, 14-15)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

10: Isabella smiling with her freshly braided hair after enduring “wash day”. Two-Point Perspective (Block, 18-21)
Image by Stephany Obianaewu

Artist: Stephany Obianaewu, 1st year MIT

EXHIBIT: Music Visually: Songs as Images

By Paige Quinn, 1st year MIT

My submission is apart of a visual essay assignment created for the MIT 1070 course. I made it early February 2020 while visiting my home, just outside of Toronto. Music plays a huge role in my life and acts as an outlet for my emotions. I wanted to create a way to show this visually. Therefore, I took pictures in which captured the same emotions and feelings that some of my favourite songs do as well.

“Charlie’s Whales” - 01: Linear Hallway. Deep Space/One-Point Perspective (Block, 14-18), Low Angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 188-190)
I use the song Charlie’s Whales by HM Surf to study. This is because it is extremely calming and makes me think in one perspective. My mind stays in one place. Image by Paige Quinn

“Electroman Adventures” - 02: Statue on Geometric Table. Flat Space (Block 43-44)
The song Electroman Adventures by Waterflame is from the popular game Geometry Dash. The song is very simplistic, geometric, and two dimensional just as the image appears on the screen. Image by Paige Quinn

“Chicken Soup” - 03: Mother Peaking Around Corner. Limited Space (Block, 52-54), Medium Close Up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189)
The song Chicken Soup by Skrillex starts off with a fast upbeat rhythm that quickly turns into an intense, electronic beat drop. This relates to the idea of ‘peeking around the corner’ and not knowing what you will find. The difference between the middle ground and foreground in the image represents the clear separation between the beginning and the rest of the song. Image by Paige Quinn

“Yes I’m Changing” - 04: Man Running Through Life-Size Cage. Ambiguous Space (55-57), Medium Long Shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189)
The song Yes I’m Changing by Tame Impala is a psychedelic song. In the song, the image and through ambiguous space, it gives the illusion of the distortion of reality. Image by Paige Quinn

“Bohemian Rhapsody” - 05: Deep Space/Three Point Perspective (Block, 22-23)
This three-point perspective image represents the many directions in which the song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen takes. It makes me feel indecisive and all over the place, in the most beautiful way. Image by Paige Quinn

“High on Life” - 06: Man Walking in Open Field. Extreme Long Shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189-190)
Walking in a large, open field provokes the feeling of freeness. The song High on Life by Martin Garrix does the same for me. Image by Paige Quinn

“La Vie En Rose” - 07: My Dad. Close Up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189)
The close-up camera decision conveys closeness. The song La Vie En Rose by Louis Armstrong is one of my father’s favorite songs, in which I hold dear to my heart. Image by Paige Quinn

“Roar” - 08: Man Looking Up from Under the Stairs. High Angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 188-190), Long Shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189)
The high angle in this image depicts the idea of empowerment, as do the lyrics in the song Roar by Katy Perry. Image by Paige Quinn

“When the Party’s Over” - 09: Man Doing Handstand on Structure. Low Angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 188-190), Medium Long Shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189)
The low angle of this image makes the viewer feel vulnerable, as does the song When the Party’s Over by Billie Eillish. When I listen to this song, I feel sad and weaker. The stance in which the man in the image is in, also makes me feel uneasy. Image by Paige Quinn

“Pursuit of Happiness” - 10: Mother Looking Down at Me. Tilted or Canted Shot/Dutch Angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 189), Low Angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 188-190)
The strange beats during the song Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) by Kid Kudi make me feel disoriented and unsettled. Much how the titled shot does as well. Image by Paige Quinn

EXHIBIT: Visual Essay of Ninth Century England

By Arya Vatan-Abadi, 4th year MIT

This project was created in early February for the MIT 1070 Media Production Foundations course. The subject I chose for this visual essay is how video games can transport us to different realities. I chose this subject because I am an amateur game designer and developer so I see games differently than most people and I wanted to highlight the work done by developers. The game I have chosen is “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla”, this game takes place in ninth century England and gives players a very accurate 3D recreation of almost the entire country. Most people don’t have a clear idea of how England looked in the ninth century so for some this could be the first time being exposed to the architecture and conditions of that time period. I tried to capture the beauty of the world and the amazing amount of detail put in by the developers in each and every shot I took.

Jorvik skyline at sunset. Extreme long shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189) and leveled (Bordwell and Thompson, 188)
Image by Arya Vatan-Abadi

Waiting underneath the Thames Bridge in London. Long shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189), canted (Bordwell and Thompson, 188), and high angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 188)
Image by Arya Vatan-Abadi

Rowing along the Nene River. Medium long shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189), leveled (Bordwell and Thompson, 188), and low angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 188)
Image by Arya Vatan-Abadi

Attending a small funeral in Oxford. Medium shot (Bordwell and Thompson, 189), leveled (Bordwell and Thompson, 188), and straight-on angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 188)
Image by Arya Vatan-Abadi

At the top of Saint Peter’s Church in Winchester with the Winchester Cathedral in the background. Medium close-up (Bordwell and Thompson, 189), leveled (Bordwell and Thompson, 188), and straight-on angle (Bordwell and Thompson, 188)
Image by Arya Vatan-Abadi

Looking up at the Nun’s Minster in Winchester. Deep Space using Three-Point Perspective (Block, 22-27)
Image by Arya Vatan-Abadi

Inside the main hall of Winchester Cathedral. Deep Space using One-Point Perspective (Block, 16-18)
Image by Arya Vatan Abadi

Aerial shot of the Long Man of Wilmington in East Sussex. Flat Space using Frontal Planes (Block, 43-44)
Image by Arya Vatan-Abadi

Walking past a village’s fowl farm. Limited Space (Block, 52-55)
Image by Arya Vatan-Abadi

Praying at the Canterbury Cathedral. Deep Space using Two-Point Perspective (Block, 18-21)
Image by Arya Vatan-Abadi

EXHIBIT: Untitled Visual Essay

By Haochen Xu, 1st year MIT

This is a group of photos taken in the week before Chinese New Year, the most important festival in China. I drove from the market in our county town to the surrounding countryside. All the people in the photos are working hard to have a happy New Year, and I hope this can perfectly capture the down-to-earth look of Chinese rural people. Because I was born in a small, poor city in northern China, it also allows me to take pictures of scenes that students in big cities can hardly see, so I chose this subject.