Student Art Gallery

In early 2021, Sophia Academy’s 8th Grade learned and practiced the elements of photography: light, color, rule of thirds, pattern, closeup, point of view, contrast, leading line, curves and framing.

The students looked at the photographic essays of award- winning artist, LaToya Ruby Frazier. Their assignment was to apply the elements and each student tell their personal story during the pandemic of 2020 with photography.

These photographs represent the stories of their neighborhoods, their family life, their heritage and how 2020, the year of COVID-19 pandemic, affected their worlds...   Enjoy!

Alayna

The idea I had for my photographic essay was how people are living in this covid 19 pandemic. The pictures I took showed how people have to wear masks and social distance themselves from others. 

In one of my pictures it shows how people have to stand in lines in order to enter places now. Also, I show how people still have to work. But the best photo I have which is the last one is showing how us children do online learning on our computers. 

So I feel that my photos capture how we are now living in 2021.

rosalina

For this project, I wanted to take pictures and show the visuals of how life is like and how everyone had to celebrate holidays without family. This year, many people have suffered even more with depression and anxiety due to the order of staying home and not visiting family. I want people to see how the holiday cheer of Christmas felt more lonely and empty this year because less people were able to go out. 

Before the pandemic, parks were filled with people because they wanted to see the light show with their families, but this year, everything had to be virtual or we had to stay in our car. I want viewers to see these things through my pictures; how Christmas wasn’t the same, how sanitation is always needed (in one of my pictures I showed a hand sanitizer), and the effects that COVID caused. Now, when you go to parks to see lights, you’ll notice that there are barely people there.

Brianna

The idea behind my photo essay is to represent my daily life during Covid-19 and how i've adjusted my daily routine. Most of my photos are about things I use everyday and people who have made this pandemic less hectic and lonely.

During the pandemic I have started new interest/hobbies to do on my free like photography, cooking, gaming, etc., along with watching way more tv. Covid has changed me a lot as a person not only physically and how we have to wear mask as well as clean our hands 24/7, but also mentally and how I view the world differently.

These photos are not to show how bad Covid has affected everyone; but to learn how to be more appreciative in the little things life brings us.

Dorianny

For my ‘Photo Essay’, I decided that it would be a great idea to photograph some things that I knew would most likely not be around in 10 years. 

Some of the pictures you will see that I have taken will be of the Christmas lights at Roger Williams Park & Zoo and also some pictures around my house. The reason why I decided to take pictures of the lights at Roger Williams was because there was a twist this year. This year, instead of being able to walk around and look at all of the lights, people had to stay in their car and watch the lights due to the global pandemic.This might’ve affected many people it could have been a part of their holiday tradition and also they could not be with their families.  

I decided to capture some parts around my house because I knew that I will most likely not be living there in 10 years. Also, I took into consideration the world may not be the same in that many years due to the fact that technology is enhancing and as well as science.

Feidy

“10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1”, screamed my family as we entered the most eventful year of our lives. 2020 brought many tragedies. From wildfires, to police killings that striked powerful protests, to loved ones losing their lives, and most importantly, something that affected us all: covid-19. 

My photo essay shows a few things that occurred during the pandemic such as, attending school virtually, discovering a new hobby (piano), occasional outings, test taking, and new family members who brought us joy during rough times like these.

Iysis

Hi, I’m Iysis.

I took pictures of my home life during covid and my life before covid. 

I also included my old house and old activities I would do.

Jayda

The idea I had for my Urban photo essay project was to take pictures of how covid-19 changed everyone's lives. 

Last year we thought it was going to be a regular year just like every other, but what happened really changed people’s lives. 

My pictures show the different things that have changed over the past year---how school changed, how stores are more empty now, and how people need to wear mask and stay 6 feet apart from each other.

Jodie

My idea for my photo essay was the importance of self care. 

Covid was a big impact on us all and after a while I decided to start focusing on myself more. The pictures that I have chosen are my way of showing my “routine” and my way of taking more care of myself and talking to the ones I care about. Even though it is not the same spending time with them, I am grateful to have found myself in different ways that I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for this pandemic. 

I have learned a lot from covid, I learned to enjoy the simple things to make the best out of nothing and how to live life to the fullest in little ways.

Kunndi

These are pictures representing covid and how everything changed because of the global pandemic. Since the virus started we had to switch to online school and some of my pictures show that. We have to social distance alot and wear masks everywhere we go. 

Quarantine has been happening for a very long time and so many bad things going on with the word making it harder everyday but we still try hard every single day and things are starting to get better and with more hope it will get even better.

Leonaije

These photographs are from when I went to Provincetown, MA.

The difference between before covid and now is that not alot of places there are open and there is barely any people there. Provincetown is a very small town and not alot of people live there and due to covid most of the attractions are closed so I took pictures of the dock and boats.

Yarielys

My topic for this Urban Essay Project was about taking pictures of people in different stores with their masks on and to show how they are doing with distancing. This idea came from my mom when we were on our way to drop off my aunt at Macy's. Originally it was supposed to be about how covid has affected Broad Street which is very close to my house but we had a different plan. 

I feel like covid has impacted my life a lot and there has been a lot of changes around me and around the world. Before covid, me and my family would go out almost every Sunday but covid has put a stop to that. I just hope that everyone is staying safe and I pray to god that this virus goes away soon so everything could go back to normal.

Yealea

For my urban essay project I had to be creative because I wasn't allowed to go out during this time so I made my essay project about how things change and how new things had to be made and bought to adjust to our new environment. 

Also, how other people in my community haven't gone outside and how empty the streets are.