Photography for Social Change

Chaminade University, Fall 2014

The following images were drawn from the final portfolios in my Chaminade University class, Photography for Social Change, Fall 2014. The class is an introduction to photography with an emphasis on using the camera as an instrument to reveal social issues or to assist in seeking positive solutions to the problems which vex us all.

—David Ulrich

Chantelle Aguilar: It is my greatest hope that all humans will finally see the beauty within animals. We have learned so much from them, and in return they have done so much for our society—most importantly, they will never stop loving us, ever.

Dacia Samilo: I believe it is important for our present generation and future generations to be educated about keeping the world sustainable so that we can live healthier lives. We need to change as a whole to stop global warming and other risks that can be prevented with sustainability.

Eliza Paulino:The theme for my portfolio is the promotion of a healthy lifestyle by purchasing locally grown produce and supporting local venders. This way of thinking not only promotes a healthy life style, but it benefits the community itself, allowing it to be efficient and reliable to its local resources; making it a strong, independent community.

Katie Buskey:I wanted to focus on capturing the moment. We don’t appreciate every moment as often as we should. Seeing others in beautiful moments reminds me to take time to live in the moments and not just let life pass us by. It makes us appreciate people more and to want to have that center of gravity in the world.

Lisa Marquez: The topic I chose for my portfolio is women in clothes. I tried taking pictures of women wearing clothes that represents the meaning behind why they chose to wear that outfit that day. This morning ritual that everyone goes through sounds simple but I never thought of how complex our reasoning is behind the clothes we have in our closets.

Lyndee Watanabe: The theme of my portfolio is self-image — something that most females deal with. Woman are so pressured to look and act in a certain way. I want to showcase the different methods and extremities women go through to accept themselves more and to reach society’s definition of “beauty.”

Melanie Schulimas:  America is a country full of extremes. Everything in America is bigger, flashier, fancier, and louder. Hopefully, my portfolio can highlight some of the tough experiences international students experience daily and enlighten Americans on what it means to be an outsider, unwanted by some.

Shannon Gray: The idea that a photograph can be a collaborative work is something that I felt I needed to explore. All of my subjects are artists in various mediums. The resulting photographs represent the artist, their thought process, and their interactions with myself. The collaboration and journey to creation is what is fascinating to me.

Suzanne Lian: The theme of my portfolio is the elements and how they constantly surrounds us and impact our lives. They are powerful, changeable and beautiful. With my portfolio I want to show the relationship between earth, water, wind and fire and how they affect each other. My portfolio also looks at the relationship humans have to the elements.

Vanessa T.O. Turner: The topic I chose is on racial prejudice, which perpetuates the unearned privileges of some and imposes undeserved restriction on others. It’s all about awareness because, although we can never fully be free of racial prejudices, we have to be able to identify and address it — and start the long process of reducing it.