BUGGING OUT – Student photographer Nanzi Muro contributed three photos of insects, which showed her macro lens skills. She is a frequent contributor to SWC student art shows and an avid member of the Photo Arts Club. PHOTO BY Nanzi Muro
There were many high quality photographs at the Photography Club Student Show “Our World Up Close,” but many were not ready for their close up.
A few of the photos could have made it into National Geographic or a travel magazine, but others were quite plain.
Best of show belonged to the bugs and flowers, as the rest tended to focus on nature. One of the better insect shots included a group of tiny aphids scaling the yellow stalk of a hibiscus rising from the pink abyss of the flowers petals.
As some of the photos show, our world also includes the city, the ocean, backyards and miles and miles of freeway. Two interesting images of freeways capture how imposing the concrete roadways really are by showing the abstract shapes they create from underneath.
Though most of the photos featured closely followed the theme of “Our World Up Close,” some of the pieces struggled to fit in.
Many of the photographs were beautiful and composed expertly, but ultimately mundane due to uninspiring subjects.
Most shots focused on highly-detailed images of life in San Diego County, with all its beauty and flaws, save for some pieces that seemed random and out of place with the rest of the show.
Images of boats in the port of San Diego were the more easily identified subjects of the student art show, though for most of the pieces the location was not obvious. One of the best photos was a dead tree at William Heise County Park in Julian, which showed a bug-eye view look at the tree in front of a rock cliff with the sun emerging from the top of the cliff.
While it is momentarily interesting to see plants, animals and places in a new light or magnified by technology, the emotions evoked by “Our World Up Close” were fleeting.
Photos were more a testament to the abilities of the students involved rather than an exhibition of beautiful art. Sometimes distance lends enchantment. “Our World Up Close” was a bit too close for comfort.
