John Therry Catholic College eNewsletter

SWAG

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Student Work and Greatness (SWAG) is your platform for student pieces. In each issue we showcase a sample of student work, from poetry to painting, photography to prose.

This week Xavier Martin spoke to three student photographers in Year 9 Photography and Digital Media. They shared their works and discussed the purpose, meaning and inspiration behind these pieces.

AYEN AJAK

Song Title: Could've Been

Song Artist: H.E.R

The lyrics I have chosen, from H.E.R.'s Could've Been, resonate with the lives teenagers are living.

In the lyrics it's evident that she doesn't know what to do with her life, the challenges she faced in her teenage years create a series of identity and relationship crises that need to be shared with the world.

Teenagers can relate to this, with the rushed pass of things. You see this with "right person, wrong timing". They don't want to express their feelings so they hide them from each other. It's relatable. We've all been there.

The colours set the tone for the image, which evokes the sad times while reminiscing about the past.

Overall, my aim was to engage the audience in something personal, but allow others to feel and relate at the same time.

LAURA BAIDYA
Song Title: Die For You
Song Artist: The Weekend

This piece was inspired by a close friend and the song "Die For You" by The Weekend.

Sharing music is a strong part of our friendship, and it's great to be inspired by those around you.

I recall when Theresa (Soun) drew an image for me, and this was my chance to return the favour with this piece. It was a chance to reflect on the nature of relationships and how we have to be there for each other, especially in moments of need.

I hope this work allows people to relate to their own friendships and experiences.

IYRENE NAVIN MARCEL

Song Title: As Long As You Love Me

Song Artist: Backstreet Boys

The inspiration came from a song my mum really likes, The Backstreet Boys' As Long As You Love Me. She often mentions the lyrics and this led me to look for some of those keywords on Pinterest.

My aim was to create effect by marrying the picture and the words together.

In addition I wanted to evoke a sense of a vintage romanticism, which I feel comes through.

In the cyanotype the girl is looking at you, demanding your gaze. In doing so I wanted it to be soulful and melancholic as most love songs aren't about love, but more about partying.

Here I wanted to capture a traditional love between two people; in a way, a love letter to the past to elicit feelings of nostalgia.

The font is practical, it's legible and conveys the lyrics so they resonate more easily.
Being my mum's favourite song in English she served as the biggest influence; that love of the lyrics and this led to me aiming to make the lyrics and image work together.

As a shout out, thank you mum for giving me the perfect song for this cyanotype.