For my project, I chose a verse from the song “Do You Realize” by The Flaming Lips, paired up with the visual aesthetics used in Leonid Afremov’s paintings. To represent this through my photos, I told a story of a girl enjoying, and appreciating the passing of the night, which is why I chose to use the aesthetics of Afremov’s paintings. His paintings bring color and life to the nighttime. I used his aesthetics to make the night more beautiful, and the lyrics to represent someone appreciating it.

Photo OneSimilar to his Afremov’s paintings, I chose a scene with the sidewalk running

straight down the middle, bright colored trees surrounding the top of the photo, and street lamps running down the side, to bring the night to life. Using Photoshop, I slightly increased the hue and saturation, to enhance the color red, and brighten the lights. This is why she is wearing a red shirt, to stand out even more, while still naturally blending in with her surroundings. Using the rule of thirds, the shot focuses on the girl. She is jumping, while balancing on the curb, demonstrating her enjoying her surroundings. Being blurred out illustrates her extreme enthusiasm of a single moment. I put no one else in the photo; she is one that realizes to enjoy the moment before it’s over, like more people should, as the verse tells us.

Photo TwoTo naturally recreate the bright colors in Afremov’s paintings, I used unique,

bright colorful lights that are most appreciated during the pitch-black night. Rule of thirds makes the shot focus on the light, and then the girl watching it. Only the upper half of her body is shown, her admiration for the tall light is more important than where she is, which is why everything but light, and her, is invisible. I used a wide, and tall shot, to capture all the street lamps and the moon. Using Photoshop I slightly increased the saturation to brighten up the lights.

Photo ThreeLines in the verse say “You realize that life goes fast, it’s hard to make the good

things last”. Photos two through four represent these lines the most by telling a story of the girl making a moment last. She is now admiring the lights reflection. To capture her stance, as well as the light, I used a long shot. I increased the saturation and hue to make the one light, that is reflected on the wall, stand out and have color surround it, as the lampposts do in Afremov’s paintings.

Photo FourThe shot is now a closer shot of the girl, but only her shadow. Because of the

similarity in color of the light shining before, you know you are now looking at the reflection on that same wall, you see the beauty she sees. The light is the source of her shadow; her body language reveals her liveliness. Her attitude is all that matters now.

Photo FiveThis shot was the most difficult one. I had to be quick to capture the firework, and

was only able to take a few photos before the police were called. I am not entirely proud of the way the firework looks; I hoped to capture it when it filled up the sky. To distinguish the girl from the others, she is divided by the firework, and placed next to a light below her. Others are now in the shot, she is sharing her moment. Using a low angle shot, the audience feels present; they are able to see what they see. Ending with this photo, I hoped the audience would now realize the meaning of the verse I had chose, by understanding how remarkable this simple moment in time can be.

“Let them know you realize that life goes fast,

it’s hard to make the good things last.

You realize the sun doesn’t go down,

It’s just an illusion cause by the world spinning round.”

- The Flaming Lips

Photo aesthetics inspired by the paintings of Leonid Afremod

(Could not find name of this specific painting)The aesthetics of this painting especially inspired my photos because of its bright red

colored trees (it’s fall, those are the trees I would find now) bringing the night to life. As well as the glowing lampposts lighting up the night for the people to enjoy.