Assignment #1 -- "A Human Approaches" by Creela Belle Howard

I took this picture last summer at the Safari Park in San Diego County. These meerkats were precious and I took lots of pictures of them. Going over my photos from the zoo I seeing this meerkat's sweet face, I realized how menacing I might look walking up and leaning over a fenced sandpit -- a giantess in their eyes -- while staring at them through a camera lens. I wondered, "what are they thinking? Are they nervous or scared at all?" So I wanted to portray this thought in the image. In honor of the classic horror films, I decided to make the photo black and white.  I also increased the definition and sharpness of the photo since the original image came out a little blurry. I also made my shadow darker by increasing the contrast between light and dark so that I would look more ominous. I also tried to dim the highlights on the meerkat's neck and above his head so it wouldn't distract from the meerkat itself. 

What I think is fascinating about this imagine is it provokes two emotions at once: "Oh, how cute!" and "That's scary" or "Is something going to happen to the poor merchant?" Thus the viewer is inthralled by the meerkat's cuteness and made nervous by the photographer's dark shadow. What also makes this picture work is the meerkat's innocent-looking face and the sun shining on the sandy dirt, making my shadow seem darker by comparison. I hope when people see this picture, they think more about how smaller animals view us and how we can help make sure animals are treated right. 

Commented on:
1. Ashley Frehner's "Final Moments"
2. Porter Chelsea's "Egyptian Theater"
3. Tyler Shaw's "A Glimpse of Hope"
4. Victoria Wilkins' "Tangry"
5. Alex Clark's "Water"