Stephen Wilkes

So, I thought that the Stephen Wilkes presentation was pretty amazing. His photography was outstanding and his stories that corresponded to each shot were really interesting. When he was speaking about his Ellis Island adventure, I found it interesting that he only shot when he was "welcomed" in the rooms. I can't imagine what kind of experience that must have been ... feeling the presence of the past inhabitants. I also think that it is really awesome that he has travelled all around the world and been fortunate enough to learn about different cultures. His China photos are particularly special because they show the countries change/improvements over the years. I never thought about how "fast" the country was growing and how much more advanced they are than the United States. Stephen Wilkes (both him and his photography) definitely made me consider the differences between the east and the west and also the possible results of those differences. From all of his photos, my favorite would have to be the sunset over the Pacific Ocean (the one where the sun was a bright yellowish-red) or the Ellis Island photo of the sink, mirror, and reflection of the Statue of Liberty. But...they were all amazing- each possessing different qualities.