This photo was taken for the "repetition" prompt. The dormitories seemed like the perfect subject.... thousands of rooms painted the same color, with as similar layouts as possible, all with the same window to look out from. 

When composing the shot, I wanted to only show the windows --- no sky, foliage or ground to distract from the repetition in the image. This also required me to zoom in fairly close to the building. However, the sky ended up in the mix anyway, which I think is pretty interesting. 

Though the inside of an empty dorm room looks almost identical to its neighbors, once it is inhabited it gains its own unique identity that is always changing each year, from occupant to occupant. This idea is reflected on the outside of the rooms, in these windows. They all look the same structurally, but reflect a different view of the cloudy sky that is constantly changing as the clouds move with the wind.

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My goal with this photo was to capture a "homey" feeling. When composing the image, I wanted to create some tension in the image. Personally, though my eye is drawn first to the plant, it then wanders over to the curtain, and then the screen on the window. Since the view outside is blurred, my attention floats back to the plant, and begins the cycle over again. I particularly like the variety of textures included in the photo.

This photo was taken at my dorm room window. When packing for college, of course the required school supplies are included first, but the rest ends up being objects that are familiar, comfortable and reminiscent of home. The addition of a curtain is part of that effort. As for the plant, my mom is a horticulturist and my dad is a forester/landscape architect, so I have grown up accustomed to having a large amount of plant life both inside and outside the house. The three plants that I've brought along with me not only provide color and life to my little box of a room, but remind me of home. 

I feel that this reflects something we all do-- we try to always bring familiarity into a new situation in order to provide comfort. These things could be a person, music, a favorite book or certain articles of clothing. However, the vast majority of things that might be brought to make an unfamiliar place more comfortable are visual elements. Photographs, posters, knick-knacks, or even simply a favorite color.

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When creating this image, my goal was to create a playful feeling. I have these two slinkys (slinkies?) sitting on my desk (along with some silly putty) mostly to give my hands something to do when I'm thinking over something for a project or paper. 

I chose to not capture the entirety of the first slinky to add some interest, and thought I might repeat the shape behind it with the second slinky. Not only did the slinky create a very unique shape to photograph, but the texture and metallic reflection also added to the composition.

One feature that I might change about this image is the background. I find that it becomes distracting, and I realize that I hadn't really given much thought to it when setting up the photograph. I find this all a little ironic though... the main function these slinkys have is to provide distraction from the task at hand, but in this photo, the environment distracts from the distractors.