Reflections 

Feeding Bird: 

My feeding bird photo is my favorite photo out of my top five. During quarantine, my family and I discovered many new trails. I have always been a nature lover but becoming more connected with nature was a positive that came out of COVID. I found spending time in nature very therapeautic and it really helped me with the stress from school work this year. This picture was taken at Mud lake trail. There is a huge variety of birds and other animals. It was amazing to see how different species interacted with one another.  The squirrels and chipmunks would walk side by side with the geese and came super close to the humans when they saw them carrying food. My brother and I loved waiting for the cute little chickadees to fly onto our hand and eat the sunflower seeds. 

I am in love with the timing this photo was taken. The bird flew away after two seconds so I was lucky to get a clear and epic photo of the chickadee eating the seed. I am happy with the way I edited this photo. I cropped much of the photo so that there are less distractions. The only thing I would do differently next time is maybe use my rule of thirds and change where the focus of my photo lies. I would also take off my fitbit because I find the blue in the photo distracting. 

Biking: 

One of my goals during quarantine was to work on my physical health. I wanted to be the healthiest and best version of myself. I increased my activity level significantly. One of my favorite activities was biking with my brother. We would go on bike rides everyday (he would go way farther then me) and watch the sunset or sit by the water for a couple of minutes. The impact that being active made on my mental health, mood and the energy I have is remarkable. Even though I did not lose any weight which was apart of the plan, I was very happy with the results. I plan to never be a couch potato again. 

I am happy with how my picture turned out. It was the best I could do while riding my bike. I was about to fall but I did not. I wanted an interesting picture that captured the moment and was not "forced." I think it looks very cool. I am very happy with the editing and setting (I also love how no one photobombed it). One thing I would change is the positioning of the handle bars on my bike. I feel like that looks a tiny bit weird but it was out of my control. Overall, I love this picture and I am very content. 

Family: 

Quarantine was super fun for my family and I. My world revolves around my mother and brother. We have always been a tight-knit family but quarantine brought us even closer. Having my mother at home meant hot breakfasts, delicious lunches and fancy dinners. I absolutely love that my mother did not have to work and got to spend time so much more time with Ansh and I. I wish that my mom did not have to go back to work. I got to spend a lot more time with my brother as well.. maybe a bit too much time. He is very annoying but it was great to hang out with him since we do not get to as much due to school work. Having a sibling is a blessing because you don't crave for company at such time. 

Overall, I am very happy with this photo. It turned out beautifully. I am very happy with the setting, editing and how my mother and brother are centered. Since there are two subjects, I purposely wanted them to be in the middle. The only thing I would change about this photo is the fact that I am not in it. The photo feels incomplete without me and I wish I would've brought a selfie stick with me. 

Prayer:

A daily part of my routine during quarantine (and in general) was prayer every night. I am Hindu and although I am more spiritual than religious, praying made me feel very happy and calm. It keeps you mentally sane to be able to depend on God/a power to resolve all the problems going on in the world. Every night, my family lights an oil lamp (we call it jyot in hindi) in front of God asking God to light up our lives and the whole world with love, peace, respect and joy.

I am very happy with how my picture turned out. I love how the flame is bright but not overpowering the photo. I love how my temple in the backround is a bit blurry. It is one of my favorite techniques to have a blurry background and sharp subject. I also really like the vibe of the photo. It is very comforting. I love how certain colors of the Hindu God's pictures stood out. Overall I love this photo. 

Makeup: 

I have always wanted to learn how to draw/paint. However, I am not good at it. I did not realize that painting comes in many different forms, one being makeup. During COVID, I learned that I love makeup and I am very creative when it comes to doing unique eye looks. It sucks that I have sensative skin and can't do it often but I certainly have a passion for it. Makeup is a beautiful art and it made me realize how you can convey such deep and meaningful messages through it. Makeup also changes your mood and uplifts your spirit. It is a great way to express your feelings and share your energy with others. Makeup can do wounders but can be very decieving too! 

I am happy with how my picture turned out. I tried to make it look aesthetically pleasing and took the photo in a tilted angle. I also positioned the brushes and mascara to make it look satisfying. It took me a very long time to edit some of the shades in the pallete and make them look more smooth. One thing I would change is giving more time to certain shades in the pallette. However, this was a very time consuming and tedious task and it was driving me crazy.