How can I express myself through the places that I photograph? How can certain variables (lighting, depth of field, framing, camera angle, etc.) be manipulated so as to change the way that we perceive something? I started with straight photography, focusing on sharpness and composition of the photo. After that I used light painting to represent my subject as more isolated and dramatic. Next, I experimented with shadow and camera angle. Next I experimented with pictorialism. Pictorialism is about the artist expressing themselves or an aesthetic through the photo rather than capturing the subject as life-like as possible. Additionally, the image is often used as a metaphor or symbol to express a broader concept, in my case, one relating to me. Experimenting with pictorialism, I used deep depths of field, natural lighting, and shadow. I used framing and camera angles to incorporate metaphors and symbolism and to tell a story through the photo. After that, keeping the concept of using my photo as metaphor, I experimented with light and reflection. To do this, I used city lights rather than natural lighting. For my last piece I experimented with aesthetics, capturing a dreamy aesthetic.