Assignment 1

Photograph by: Makenzie Wistisen

I'M COMPLETELY FLEXIBLE...AS LONG AS EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY HOW I WANT IT.

I took this photograph in high school for an animal photography assignment. While I toyed with the idea of taking pictures of my neighbors cats and dogs like the majority of my classmates, I wanted to do something a little more exotic and challenging. What a perfect excuse to go to the zoo! While I wish I could have captured this stunning flamingo in its natural habitat, its beauty continues to captivate me. Flamingos have been and continue to act as a stylistic icon in fashion and design. There is something iconic about a pink flamingo that elicits fun, summer, elegance and femininity. With elongated limbs and fascinating aerodynamics, this beautiful, flightless bird is one of the only truly pink creatures on earth. I like pink...in case you were unaware. 

This Photograph was taken with a small Nikon digital camera and I feel is a testament to what can be achieved with skill absent from heavy duty equipment. I've since acquired SLR's with high quality lenses, but have always been pleased with the high definition of this photograph. Naturally, I have cropped it to an aesthetically pleasing composition and edited the colors and lighting in Adobe Photoshop. The original is much darker and less sharp. The sharp contrast of pink, coral and orange on a sort of textured, green canvas, creates a cooperative color scheme however, the uniqueness and intrigue of the photo belongs to the beautifully twisted neck of the subject. 

I've been told I need to be more flexible in life but felt this title was appropriate to my general response. This lovely flamingo however, reminds me to bend without breaking, walk with grace and stand apart from the crowd. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!