Author: cheyane@uoregon.edu

 

 

OLD things, NEW ideas

 Cheyane Kamai, may 2013

In the past, inspirations for my work have been activities that I am interested in and have cultural importance in my life.  For example, last spring I was enrolled in black and white photography and the focus of majority of my projects dealt with hula, Hawaiian dance.  Being Hawaiian, and an instructor for beginning hula last year, I felt compelled to document the dances.  Hula has been a way of ancient story telling with the body, so naturally I wanted to capture the stories that were being told.  After several rolls, I realized I wanted the photos to be less about the dancer, and focus primarily on their movements and gestures.  I wanted the photos to be from different perspectives, but up close and personal.  The annual lu’au, put on by Hawaii club was around the same time as my final project, so it worked to capture the preparation and progress of the show.  Having the photos only being printed in black and white made the work feel historical and timeless.  Being apart of the creation of Hawaii club’s lu’au made it an honor to create an event for people to come enjoy and learn about our unique culture.  I was excited to use photography to capture the stories of my culture.

Brooke Dombroski, Contrast Magazine’s “Up North” outtakes

A photographer, Brooke Dombroski, took the photo that inspired me.  I have been intrigued with her work for years because of her ability to capture people and an easy-going lifestyle.  In this particular photograph, I like that her eye contact intensifies the photograph and engages the viewer.  The surroundings and pineapple she is holding gives the photo a tropical and an easy lifestyle.  It makes me feel like home. In her work, I have enjoyed seeing the portraits she has taken.  These pieces have unique positioning and portray fun stories.  I like her angles and the way the model seems to engage and entice the viewer.  I also love her work underwater, which captures some of the simplest, raw moments of pure fun.  Brooklyn’s photos make her life look so enjoyable and care free that I want to enjoy her life too.

A way that I plan on using her work to influence mine is to understand what I like about her art, and use it as a platform to create my own.  If I stick to my own motivations and things I am passionate about, I feel that my work will not be similar to hers.  I will use her work merely as an inspiration and a building block to see what works and has been done that I enjoy keeping my work original.