When I Graduate
Joyce M. Hoffman
hofbat@concentric.net

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"When I Graduate" is composed from digital photographs taken with a Kodak 120 and one image scanned on an HP6200C. These elements are brought together in Photoshop 5.5. It is a metaphoric picture of the opportunities available from higher education. During the final two semesters at Dominican College my work and school schedules were overwhelming. I needed to remind myself that the stress would eventually end. In anticipation of my Masters Degree and May, 2000 graduation I created this picture of myself entering new territories. The Reward!

Each architectural component is a part of the art deco-styled track field at UC Berkeley. I spend a lot time photographing older buildings and Berkeley is full of beauties. Power lines and graffiti are removed and the structures straightened within the Photoshop application. Shadows and highlights, textures and objects are each manipulated to match the composition in my imagination.

The sky behind the portal is a photograph I took in Maui. The palm trees that were there looked awkward through the portal, so they were removed and replaced with "synthetic" clouds created within Photoshop.

The elephant was scanned from images of elephants that I've been collecting from wildlife magazines and books bought at garage sales. They and deer are my favorite beasties. It was fun to create the shadows on the elephant's back and under her one foot.

I am the elephant in this picture. I'm walking up the steps at Berkeley toward the portals of opportunity on graduation day. Even elephants can fit through those classic structures and fly off to Maui as well.