I captured this photo last weekend on the
University of Miami campus. My friend Michelle and I were standing underneath
the covering of the Lowe Art Museum, waiting for our friend to come pick us up
from the rainstorm that was sweeping campus, when I saw this man trudging
through the pouring rain. This man was covering his head with a piece from a
cardboard box as he passed the Baptist Ministry and Wesley Foundation
buildings. He left his dorm or car, probably expecting sunshine, but was hit
with rain. Hurricane season is typically when cities like Miami get the
most rain, however it starts in June and ends in November. But in the middle of
March, a large rainstorm covered the campus in a layer of water.
Clothed as a business professional, he could
be heading to an important meeting with others in the University Center. On the
other hand, he could be a student of the University, dressed for a class
presentation. Instead of dreading the rain or turning around, he continued to
walk with a steady pace, ready to ace his presentation or meeting. I was
in awe of his perseverance as he watched many other students turn around and
give up.
The location of this picture also stood out
to me. Many people on campus tend to overlook this spot because they haven’t
visited this area or know where to find the churches that line the street
there. At any given time, you can find a few people walking around this area,
many of which are students who live in Mahoney/Pearson Residential College or the
UNICCO workers who are seen carting around cleaning supplies. These people are
seen as locals, those who know of a particular area and its meaning to campus
as a whole. Many of the mobiles that come to visit campus overlook this area,
as well as P100s who give campus tours.
What draws me the most about this picture is
the rain, although it isn’t very visible. The rain calms me and I love to take
walks in it. For me, the rain embodies tranquility and calmness. When it rains,
I like to reflect on my day and take pride in the peaceful moments like the
rain that relieve stress for me. For instance, a walk in the rain calms me
down. Most people don’t like the feeling of being covered in water, but it
helps me to relax. Each drop of rain seems to relax me more, making me forget
about the stresses of everyday life and to just be one with nature, if only for
a few moments.
Some people may look at this picture and see a man
struggling to get where he is going in the rain, but it reminds me of the
calmness of the rain and my need to find moments of serenity in the day.
After reading this I can tell the author finds rain very peaceful and the picture of the kid using a card board box as an umbrella is in her terms calming. For me the picture doesn't look so calming, it looks like a person freaking out and rushing to get to a place of dryness. But thats what makes this her punctum and not just what everyone else is thinking
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job describing the background of the photo (stadium) and describing the obscurity of this particular area. It was interesting to read about how you feel a sense of tranquility with the rain while most students at UM see it as a hinderance like the student in the picture.
ReplyDeleteI love how you used the location to incorporate context such as the locals and mobiles that are present in at the University of MIami which really related it back to the class. I love it how your studium and punctum are almost opposites of one another. This shows a comparison in the interpretation of the photo though the differences of one personal similarity which is the rain. Used very good background details to help depict the area of Miami and more specifically the University of Miami.
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