This work is about my dad. Hearing the word "Dad" evokes a similar mental image for most people. A man who leads and protects his family: that is what I think about my dad. Ever since I was a young, immature kid, my dad was always there for me. When I was sick and could not go outside to play, my dad came to the hospital after his job and played with me. Even though he was my dad, he was also my friend. My dad had a unique smile that made me happy whenever I saw his face. He gave me joy when I was sick, and happiness when I was sad.
But then life started to change. I started to grow older, of course, and my dad started to get busier. The amount of quality time we spent together gradually started to decrease. I knew my dad was going through hard times and he needed a break, but he never took one. His face started to change from black to white. Most regrettably, I no longer saw my dad's old smile, the smile that used to give everyone joy. Thus, I decided that I wanted to do something for my dad, and I realized that I could use my talent to help cheer him up.
I began taking photos of my dad's favorite places to sit and rest. Then, I highlighted those places, using flashlights to create a unique ambiance. Combining 20 pictures of those same places created the photos that depicted my dad's places. Not to be missed is the true meaning behind these photos, namely, to reflect my dad's burdens and hardships which he had to endured over the years to support his family. My dad brought me immense joy when I was young, so now it was my turn to bring him joy.
Closet- Closet is a space where I can smell the scent of my father like no other and his scent has always made me feel calm and comfortable when I needed those elements the most. The father figure which represents safety and strength is what I believe made me complacent all this time.
Couch- During winter, about a year ago, I woke up in a middle of a night to drink a cup of water. But something else other the cup caught my eye. My father was sleeping on a couch with his coat and tie on. After that day, whenever I see the couch, I see the hardship that my father goes through every day.
Study- It’s been a while since the study has become the place where my dad spends most of his time when he comes back from work. I think that action shows that this is the place where he focuses and thinks the most and I wanted to express my father’s passion and concentration for solving the problem that he has on his mind.
Vault- Vault is a very private place for my dad. However, I can see in his eyes that he feels the responsibility and even a little bit of pressure when he enters the vault. This room is both private, but so much private of a space for dad.
Kitchen Table- Kitchen table is the single spot in our house where our entire family can be all together. The very middle section of the table is dad’s seat and it is not a spot for anybody. This seat represents the heavy responsibility called a family and that responsibility automatically exemplifies dad’s authority within the family.
Shower Room- This spot is probably a place where it allows my father to loosen up little bit and relaxes for about 30 minutes in 24 hour day. I believe this a different dimension for my father where he can just drop all the worries in the world and just think about himself for just a moment.
Shoe Rack- Dad goes out with clean sets of shoes and comes back home with them, dirty. This is a location that symbolizes the end result of a hard work and the sacrifice that dad makes for our family.
Bench- Out of hundreds of benches that are laid out in the park outside of our house, this is a seat where my father always rests on whenever he goes out. I actually envy this bench because he focuses on something too much that he sometimes can’t hear what I tell him. Whenever he rests on this bench, it seems like he is on a different universe.
Kitchen- Kitchen is actually where my mother spends most of her time. However, even in her territory, my father’s own little space exists. Whenever I open the wine and whiskey cabinet and see that the small amount of liquor is disappearing each week, I can feel that the amount of liquor disappearing parallels the amount of stress that my father gains every week.
Bathroom- This is a place where dad doesn’t get interrupted by patients or phone calls. The only thing that he has to do is relax and just imagining his face more serene makes me even more comfortable.
