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Susanna Burrows

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Susanna Burrows

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PARQUE del BUEN RETIRO

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“Park of the Pleasant Retreat”

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……….Parque del Buen Retiro, in the heart of the old city of Madrid, is a place where anyone can go to engage in the natural environment of the city. The park is a historic icon for the city, belonging to the Spanish Monarchy for over 3 centuries before it was open to the public in the early 1800’s. My photographs depict the people in this park, as they engage with the historic monuments and inhabit the landscape as a place to relax, work, learn, exercise, socialize, and love.

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My role as the photographer of this “People in a Park” series is that of an observer, or in Susan Sontag’s words from On Photography, I am a surveyor, my photos provide “incontrovertible proof that a given thing happened”. I have created a record of nameless characters doing specific things at specific moments in time. Who these people are is unimportant, yet what they are doing and the environment in which they reside produces the story.

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Susanna Burrows

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The photos that I chose depict the reality of the moments in raw form. They are my interpretation of the world as it existed at very specific moments in time in Parque del Buen Retiro. Sontag also wrote, “There is always a presumption that something exists, or did exist, which is like what’s in the picture.” A park is a place of public gathering. Whatever time of day or time of year, the people who occupy a park are there only for a finite period of time. In this sense, photographing the users of a park is a means of depicting movement, emotion, light, shadow and nature, all of a transient nature. The images capture the ephemeral, freezing moments in time as creatures pass through this public place of recreation.

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Susanna Burrows

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A public place of gathering is a unique place in a city. While every city has a public realm, a successful, safe, and beautiful public space is special. How people engage with public places is a very personal experience. Like photography, the relationship that we have with parks is one’s own. Most people go to public parks for recreation – but what does this mean? Is it sitting, thinking, doing what you love? Is it observing? Watching the wind blow through trees, listening to music? A park is a place where people go to play – people of all ages engage with monuments – capturing their own photographs to document time. Everything is in motion.

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Susanna Burrows

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About The Author: Susanna Burrows is a Master of Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Candidate, University of Pennsylvania – School of Design, Class of 2013.

Image 1

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Bennett Lee

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“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
-Arthur C. Clarke

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……….Beyond the glass is the world as I see it. From a small room, the city in all of its modern accomplishments is laid out before me. Everything from the buildings that graze the sky to the cars driving about, technology flourishes on the other side of the glass.

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Image 2

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It’s humbling to think about how the many innovations that I take for granted could compare to that of a god to people in a different era. In ancient Greek mythology, humanity was grateful when Prometheus brought back the gift of fire. Today, I can press a button and make my own fire. For few, a press of a button could set the whole world on fire.

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Image 3

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Technology is a force that changes our world profoundly. Only 60 years ago was the Internet invented and since then our world has radically changed. The world has so many problems and science, I believe, has every solution. Poverty, hunger, disease, every obstacle mankind has to overcome, can be conquered if the power is put in the hands of the right people.

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Image 4

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“To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven….

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Image 5

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The same key holds the gates of hell.

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Image 6

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And so it is with science.”
-Richard P. Feynman

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Self-Portraits by Bennett Lee – Copyright 2012

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About The Author: Bennett Lee is enrolled in The Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology – The Wharton School | School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania Class of 2013 – Copyright 2012
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Editor’s Note: To read more articles by Bennett Lee, go to the search bar at the top of the page: enter name and click green icon.

Cartier

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Luciano Ruiz

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……….When I first began thinking about the object I would photograph, only a few things came to mind. Intimate objects, for me: are those objects that have a personal meaning which is far more important than its physical one. I soon realized how much I wanted to capture my passion for timepieces.

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Watches keep time. They help quantify and sequence our events as well as our emotions. Some philosophers argue that time is not a reality, but merely a concept. Regardless of this debate, watches help us keep track of this reality we live in.
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4:55

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Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir once said “I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.” This has always led me to believe that I am the controller of my own destiny. Watches ultimately represent the tangible aspects of time, which we use to forge our own fate. This is how I’ve come to appreciate watches – not for their physical capabilities, but for their abstract meaning.

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Tissot

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Therefore, the popular expression “time on your hands” does not come as a surprise to me. Being able to make our own proper decisions about time is exactly why they have such an important meaning to me. Controlling our actions and owning up to them is ultimately a feature of time.

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Tissot 1853

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In conclusion, watches not only appeal to me because of their innate physical beauty, but also because of their abstract significance. Being able to quantify time while reinforcing the notion that we are the architects of our own future is what makes this simple mechanical object my personal favorite.

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Rolex

About The Author: Luciano Ruiz is a Candidate for Bachelor of Arts, University of Pennsylvania – Class of 2013
Photographs by Luciano Ruiz – Copyright 2012

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Editor’s Note: To access additional articles by Luciano Ruiz, go to the search bar at the top of the page: enter name and click green icon.

Willy Huang

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Willy Huang

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……….Though bicycles may not be the first thing we think of when we think of Philadelphia, a quick glance around its motorways leaves no doubt that they are a fundamental part of its fabric. Designated poles for locking one’s bike are peppered throughout nearly every city street — it’s hard to go more than a hundred feet on Walnut or Chestnut without encountering one.

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Willy Huang

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In fact, there are so many bicycles and bike-related symbols that it’s easy to let them melt into the city and fade out of consciousness as we go about our daily lives. All it takes, though, is one moment to stop and take note of our surroundings to appreciate just how entrenched they are in every street and sidewalk.

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Willy Huang

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It’s just as well: Philadelphia is home to people from all walks of life — those who have traveled near and far through life and the world. It seems appropriate, then, that the bicycle – a traveler’s indomitable and loyal friend for the last century — finds its home here.

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Willy Huang

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There are no polished frames, pristine seats, or spotless wheels here—instead, the scruffs, rust, and tears of each bike tell a story of the journeys that it—and its rider—have braved.

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Willy Huang

And yet, in this city of old, the bicycle is a symbol of the unquenchable thirst to keep moving onwards. It is simultaneously an icon of the past and a vehicle for modernity and progress. A modern motorcycle looks not one bit out of place tucked into an aged alleyway.

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Willy Huang

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True, not all bikes and their riders find good fortune on every step of their journeys. Along the way, bumps and obstacles are met and parts are damaged, lost, or stolen. But though they may be stopped tonight, they will undoubtedly ride on tomorrow.

Copyright 2012

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About The Author: Willy Huang – Jerome Fisher in Management and Technology: The Wharton School of Business – School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2012

Layla

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Prathima Mia Rodrigues

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Layla is a strong confident modern woman. She is Parisian and embodies the light, romance and the antiquity of that beautiful city. As a photographer, I was drawn to her beautiful eyes – I believe that they draw your gaze into the picture. They stir a sense of curiosity in you and you want to know her story.
The girl in my photographs finds it hard to come to terms with lost love. Past relationships that she has left behind to follow her own dreams, love that she has stifled, commitments that she has run away from – because of her fear of what this would do to her ambition and her career. She is in search of true love or maybe even what it means.

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Layla

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Layla to me represents contradictions. She is afraid of the commitment of a steady relationship and yet she craves permanence. She wants to find love and a person she can trust and love but yet she believes that attachment and dependence can only lead to disappointment.

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Layla

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My photographs capture two Laylas: a confident and solid Layla – she knows what she wants and how to get it and a lonely Layla who is confused about what love really means. Some of these photographs have a distant expression as Layla reminisces about France. She has recollections of her childhood – fleeting memories of objects and senses – the smell of freshly baked croissants, the arrival of spring in March, the sound of her father’s car pulling up in the driveway, the electronic music she danced to in high school. Her memories reflect in her expressions – happy with deep gashes of loneliness.

About The Author: Prathima Mia Rodrigues is enrolled in the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

Photo: Luciano Ruiz

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Luciano Ruiz

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As soon as I was given the task to photograph a friend, I knew exactly whom I would choose. Deciding on a subject to shoot wasn’t heard at all, and convincing her to do it wasn’t either. As soon as I pulled out the camera she instantly became electrified. Not only did she know how to act in front of me, but her emotions were entirely honest. We have been friends since freshmen year, and therefore it was extremely easy to talk about anything and everything. When she began to tell me about her day I immediately noticed her captive smile. The way in which her smile turned into an enchanting laugh was my main inspiration.

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Photo: Luciano Ruiz

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There was no need for me to tell her what to do. She naturally moved her face around, allowing me to capture her cheerful laugh. However, as we continued to talk, I noticed a change in her mood. She suddenly became increasingly anguished and desperate. Her facial expressions changed dramatically, revealing agony.

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Photo: Luciano Ruiz

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I knew something was wrong and continued to shoot as her face began to melt down. She immediately began to tell me that she had broken up with her boyfriend from home, and that she was feeling miserable. Suddenly, her eyes started to get cloudy and in no time she was crying.

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Photo: Luciano Ruiz

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I felt the sudden need to comfort her, but at the same time I knew how wonderful these shots could be. Her sense innocence and suffering were creating the perfect frame. Being as close as we are, I was certain that her emotions came from deep within.

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Photo: Luciano Ruiz

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As she continued to innocently murmur the details of the gloomy breakup, she began to wipe the tears off her face. She said she would no longer shed tears for him. I sympathized with her while continuing to shoot frames in which I could clearly see her genuine feelings.

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Photo: Luciano Ruiz

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As I put my camera down to continue talking with her on a more personal level, she suddenly smiled again. She began to tell me that life goes on and we must learn to move on. It was as if she suddenly realized how happy she was, and it was a matter of seconds before her catchy smile was back. I quickly picked up my camera and captured the joy she was feeling in the midst of the moment. As I look back at the pictures I produced, I have come to realize that photography is all about what happens on the spur of the moment. I could have never known what was coming my way when I first asked her to pose for my project. But in the end, the result was astounding.

About The Author: Luciano Ruiz is a Candidate for Bachelor of Arts, University of Pennsylvania – Class of 2013

Mike: Rain 1

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Ryun H. Hobbs

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……….. Which is the more powerful emotion – happiness or despair?

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My boyfriend Mike and I have been together for a year. We have made each other very happy on many occasions, and those are very precious moments in our relationship. There have also been struggles and mistakes made, many of them on my part, which have caused us both a lot of anguish. When assigned this task, I had only one image invade my thoughts, which I tried to capture with this picture series.

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Mike: Rain - 2

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He’s the kind of person that will let worries take over – if he wakes up in a bad mood, he will have a storm cloud hanging over him all day long. Things have been fine until earlier this semester – I decided that instead of the career route I was originally considering, I wanted to try my hands at musical theater in New York. This meant that he, already having accepted an offer at Microsoft in Mountain View, CA, would be on the other side of the country. This decision has led us to discuss things that we still are not ready to tackle: long-distance relationships, breaking up, our future…

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Many recent nights have been spent trying to console each other and discuss our situation to no relief. Even though I was scared that making him pose in a sad way would upset him for that night, the image of his worried expressions have completely taken over my mind. I thought to capture his feelings of sadness and paralyzing confusion through the lens.

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Mike: Rain - 3

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One night in particular was the hardest. We both knew that we could not avoid the topic that time, even if we wanted to. He asked if we wanted to stay together, and I did – but a long-distance relationship? Many people believe they just don’t work out. I was unable to tell him how I felt, if I even knew how I felt. He just seemed to collapse from the silence. Looking for the right words to say, I remained wordless – as did he.

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What could we say? We essentially agreed on things – we did not want to break up, but could we hold up a working relationship after graduation? It seemed as if I had more doubt than he did. Yes, I was happy with him, but we are both young and it has only been a year. We both needed to work on our careers and developing ourselves. I began to speak those words…

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Mike: Rain - 4

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To get the response that I expected, but did not want to get. It was the most pain that I have seen on his face in the entire year that we have been together. This image has been branded into my mind since. Even though we have been able to work it out a bit since that night, as graduation day looms, the relationship seems to lose the vibrance that it had not too long ago.

About The Author: Ryun H. Hobbs is a senior enrolled in the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2012

Myra-1

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Meghan Hussey

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……….Myra is one of the most dynamic people I know. I was interested in using photography to capture different aspects of her personality and identity. This year she cut her hair short, inspired by the classic beauty Audrey Hepburn. I asked her to dress however she liked, and she came in a simple outfit that I thought well suited her: a t-shirt and jeans, with a leather jacket that captures her spunk and edge, as well as a beautiful scarf from Pakistan and feather earrings that were both bright pink – a color that captures her vibrant personality perfectly.

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Myra - 2

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Myra is Pakistani-American. She was born in the US and can project the cool confidence of her native Texas. Her love of this country shows through her love of politics and public service. She is also brilliant: she speaks 5 languages and in May will leave to take a gap year in Asia improving her Chinese and Korean before going to law school.

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Myra - 3

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Myra is the youngest in her family and is not afraid to be silly. She has an amazing ability to lose her inhibitions and act like a kid again. Since we have become friends we have accumulated hilarious stories that could go on for days.

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Myra - 4

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Recently, it was revealed that the NYPD has been monitoring a number of Muslim Student Association groups, including the one at Penn to which Myra belongs, without their knowledge and with no cause for suspicion other than their religion. This experience with profiling, along with the lack of strong support from the University, has ignited a sense of anger in both Myra and myself as her friend. They don’t see all of the pieces that make her a unique individual. All they care about is that she is Muslim, since that is enough to make her a threat in their eyes.

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Myra - 5

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Myra is also a ball of energy and fun to be around. Her global interests come through when she enjoys herself. She loves to dance to Bollywood music and sing Karaoke to Taiwanese pop songs. She has a large and multi-cultural circle of friends because of her caring nature and her ability to light up the room.

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Myra - 6

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Yet, Myra embraces Islam as an integral part of her identity. During our shoot she took a break to pray, like many faithful Muslims do at certain times of the day, covering her hair with her scarf. She does not hide her heritage or feel ashamed of it, even though she has faced ignorance and racism. I hope that one day people will be able to accept her Muslim faith as a beautiful part of what makes her whole, and also realize that identity is multi-dimensional and it is in that complexity that our real humanity lies.

About The Author: Meghan Hussey is a Candidate for BA in International Relations and Political Science Minor in International Development, Certificate in Mandarin at the University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2012

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Copyright 2012