An Unsettling Headspace: My High School Photojournalism Portfolio | The Odyssey Online
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An Unsettling Headspace: My High School Photojournalism Portfolio

Warning: Some of these images are a bit dark.

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An Unsettling Headspace: My High School Photojournalism Portfolio

In high-school, I found a class that allowed me to be truly creative. AP Studio Art not only gave me college credit, but it allowed me to explore different forms of art.

For my concentration, I choose depression and mind states. I wanted to focus on the actions you might make when experiencing depression or any mental illnesses.

Warning: The following images are graphic and may be inappropriate for some audiences.

Lostmyhead

Lauren Hernandez

This image was taken in the busy streets of California. The character was standing in the middle of the street smoking her cigarette.

The character feels like she has lost her mind. She is coping with the numbing of her cigarette and she is placing herself in a fast-paced area.

12:51

Lauren Hernandez

This image was taken late at night in a random field. It was inspired by the infamous Michelangelo painting, "The Creation Of Adam."

The hands are almost touching and are bloody. This was done to show the pain the pair felt without one another. Not being with each other forces them to reach for one another in their everyday life.

Scar Tissue

Lauren Hernandez

I love this image because the character has given up on what others think. She has lost her mind in a way and is becoming reckless.

The dark shadows and change of scenery are to demonstrate how she is feeling. The change from the streets to the alleyway is supposed to symbolize the change of mental state.

Cigarette Daydreams

Lauren Hernandez

This image is distorted to show how the character feels fuzzy. She begins to rely on the things that help her escape. In this case, her escape is the cigarette.

Good As New

Lauren Hernandez

The character is shown in the alleyway, but this time she is even more bruised and damaged. This is to show how she is progressively losing herself.

Where Is My Mind?

Lauren Hernandez

This image is in black and white and is meant to represent insanity. The character is beginning to change and she doesn't recognize herself anymore.

My Obsession

Lauren Hernandez

This image is a bit abstract. It shows the character grasping the person she wants to be with. The blood on the hands demonstrates how their relationship is damaged.

In My Mind

Lauren Hernandez

Another image of the character with her cigarette. The character is lost and she is stuck in her mind.

The Truth

Lauren Hernandez

Hands are a very powerful aspect of imagery. Red is also a dominant color for an audience to find in art. The combination of the two empowers the message of the portfolio.

Pseudologia Fantastica

Lauren Hernandez

This image is one of my most unique. Surprisingly it was not edited as much as it seems. Luckily for me, the camera I was using was acting up and took an image like this.

I love this picture because it is the character's alter ego. It almost seems that the alter ego is entering her in the image.

Power

Lauren Hernandez

This image is one of the darkest of the series. The symbols on the character's arm all mean something.

Victory, Control, Emotion, and Power.

These are the emotions that are taking over.

 I Know It's Over

Lauren Hernandez

This last image tool a while to get perfect. I kept to the bloody hand theme, but made it look as if she was trying to come out of the darkness.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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