Lexa Perez's "The First of Many," 2020
The coronavirus was one of the biggest events to hit the world, but the racial injustice within the U.S. finally hit a turning point in May of 2020. I had never been to a protest, especially during a world-wide sickness, but I thought know would be a good time to start participating. I didn't tell anyone I was going except my boyfriend, who came with me, because I knew my mother wouldn't have supported my decision to go, but I also didn't want to stand by. I documented the first big Black Lives Matter protest in Houston, Texas at the end of May and I believe it captures a movement that Houstonians feel passionate about and what kind of world we want to live in (one without judgement to the color of one's skin).-Lexa Perez
Alexys Hill's "I Can't Breathe," 2020
This three part photograph represents the theme of "I can't Breathe" because in my opinion, that is the entire theme of 2020. With Covid-19, the main struggle of those infected is that they struggle to breathe because of this virus attacking their body while those not infected struggle to breathe under their masks as they try to protect themselves. Later in the year the same theme occurs with the brutal murder of George Floyd as he desperately cried out "I can't breathe!" to the officer who was choking him on the ground. His cries ignored and his death immortalized by those who desperately want to change the system and end police brutality. Lastly, a constant them not only in 2020 but for years before that is the smoking and nicotine addiction of our society. Though cigarettes are the less popular option now, smoking is still a current issue and is affecting younger and younger generations as they switch to vaping. This addiction, no matter what form or device you inhale from, is still the root cause for most lung cancers and breathing problems and if not corrected can end your life. -Alexys Hill
Courtney Fife's "Loss of Hope," 2020
This is a self portrait photograph I took with my camera over the summer. I took the lighting mini course and was inspired to do a conceptual 2020 series. I added tape to my body and taped the flower over my mouth. I edited this in photoshop and light room to give the gradient affect. The series contains 8 photographs but I am only submitting two. This photograph explains the loss of hope in our society. How covid-19 has affected mental health detrimentally. The tape conveys the inability to speak amongst each other for we are afraid to get too close. The flower symbolizes hope and new beginnings. The photograph explains how we have lost hope of once was and we will have the strength to carry on. -Courtney Fife
Courtney Fife's "Broken"
This is the second photograph to my 8 photograph 2020 series. This was a self portrait also taken with my camera and lights over the summer during the lighting mini course. I added red paint to my face, a red filter to the light, as well as I edited it in photoshop and light room. This photograph describes how broken and lost society has become since March. The facial expression in my face describes the pain, suffering, and isolation covid-19 has put upon us. We as a whole have been broken and we are truly hurting. - Courtney Fife
Estefany Sanchez's "**** 2020"
Estefany Sanchez's "**** 2020"
I was inspired by the VOGUE challenge that was going around. I wanted to show how this year has taken over and completely ****ed everyone over. - Estefany Sanchez
Lauren Harnett's "Captain Penniman House with the ISS passing overhead"
The Captain Penniman House is a historic site in Eastham, Ma. Completed in 1868 and styled after the French Second Empire Period (1855-1870), the house was the first in Eastham to have indoor plumbing with a flushing toilet and hot water. Today it serves as a museum on Captain Penniman and the Eastham whaling industry. Unlike Coast Guard Station and Nauset Light, the Captain Penniman House is not as widely visited by tourists. Photographing it at night allowed me to capture the house in a way it is not normally seen. - Lauren Harnett
Lauren Harnett's "Coast Guard Station with the ISS passing overhead"
I love photographing the night sky, especially when the International Space Station is making a pass. 2020 has been a busy year of night sky activity with comet NEOWISE, Meteor showers, the Christmas Star and many ISS passes. In a year of social distancing, photographing at night is ideal. The strangeness of this year allowed me the opportunity to spend almost a month on Cape Cod. While there I tried to get the ISS passing over some of the more popular locations in Eastham, Ma. Coast Guard Beach is a popular beach during summer month. The old Coast Guard Station at the beach was built in 1937 and operated until 1958. - Lauren Harnett
Natalie Bardaweel's "Fall in Texas"
The inspiration behind this photograph is Fall, the best time of the year where people could enjoy the weather and the leaves change colors. I took this photograph because the scenery is breathtaking. It is about allowing the viewer to step into the photograph in viewing the calming water and bright orange trees. It is to gives one peace of mind in a world of chaos. - Natalie Bardaweel
Natalie Bardaweel's "Golden Sublime"
The inspiration behind this artwork is the beauty of nature, that one wouldn't normally see the of beauty at first. I took this shot because the scene made me feel sublime, an emotion that not a lot of people are experiencing these days due to the pandemic. This photograph is about challenging the viewer to find what gives them the feeling of sublime. It is to spread positivity and give the viewer the inspiration to bounce back from a negative year. - Natalie Bardaweel
Anthony Fogg's "Veterans Day 2020"
The outbreak kept people away from there usual activities for the entire year. A usual hangout for veterans is the Waffle House and I found it telling that it was deserted on a day that would usually see big crowds of the people that the virus seemed to pray on the most. - Anthony Fogg
Anthony Fogg's "Out of Darkness," 2020
We all have to do things that we don't want to do. I took this picture while deployed away from home. This year made being away especially hard because I was not able to be around family and friends to help them through their hardships. I felt that no mater what was happening I needed to be the light in my dark place to push back the shadows. This picture symbolizes to me that act of lighting my space with the hope of helping others. -Anthony Fogg
Carla Bradley's "All Work, No Play"
After graduating 5 years ago from UHCL with a Master's degree, I swore to never do work at home ever again... until a global pandemic happened. Granted, 2020 gifted me with the opportunity to work from home but that is all I do from the moment I wake up until the moment my eyes start to close behind my laptop. All work and no outdoor fun is truly making me go a little crazy. - Carla Bradley
Deb Menconi Clark's "Infectious Fun"
I used heavy digital editing on this photo I took of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo ferris wheel, just prior to the news that community spread of COVID19 was occurring in Houston--at the rodeo! While I actually didn't want to publish this photo, as infections grew and NYC was in dire straights, I was extremely mad. What is happening should not be--I knew better! I had participated with the Department of Homeland Security as a communications consultant for Major League Baseball, regarding implementing a pandemic plan for the USA. I knew what had been done, but not implemented. We had been utterly let down by incompetent leadership as a public health threat was politicized. So, while it's an image of a fun ride, the heavy editing is more towards a surreal and distorted ride for Houstonians. - Deb Menconi Clark
Deb Menconi Clark's "Cultivating Change"
At this point in 2020, protests and racism had erupted across the USA. I began to worry about my family, as I have two nieces that are children of Islam. When I visited with them, the girls took me out to their family garden. This was an impromptu shot of the girls in a flourishing garden. When I got home and studied the image, I realized there was a dual meaning. We need to cultivate a garden for it to flourish, and we also need to cultivate children to be antiracist. During the visit, I taught the girls to say, "Black Lives Matter" and "Remember George Floyd." Still, I worry about them in this contentious atmosphere of political discord and rampant racism. The photo is not edited, and is as pure as the children in their garden. I wanted to inspire positivity and present my visual narrative in the same way. This shot was serendipity--if only life was that easy. It's not. - Deb Menconi Clark
Lexa Perez's "So Close Yet"
Social distancing was the phrase for 2020 and I drew inspiration from one of my favorite film photographer's, Linus (@linusandhiscamera) on Instagram. Taken her front yard, I wanted to go around my city and take pictures of my friends, on film, that I hadn't seen since quarantine and capture what they've been doing from 6 feet away! - Lexa Perez
My family was exposed to COVID. We were very lucky it was mild and only two of us tested positive. The scare and inconvenience was very real since we have people in our home that have their immune system compromised. I tried to make light of a difficult situation by conjuring up The Brady Bunch vibes in this piece. -Crystal Correa
Stuart Larson's "Lost in Zoom Land"
I have been in zoom meetings every day, and this is what happens when I try to use a virtual background on my aging computer. This is a portrait of my life lost in endless waves of digital grain. - Stuart Larson
Ethan Omo's "Birth of a Weeping Sophist"
Birth of a Weeping Sophist explores the depressive process of resolving an existential crisis of purpose amongst a world wide pandemic. This piece is inspired by my own struggle to develop a deeper understanding of the world while it seemed like the world was crumbling around me throughout 2020. - Ethan Omo
Kate Gaddis' "Timekeeper"
Deanna Durbin is my favorite and I'm writing a novel about her. This is the cover for my book. - Kate Gaddis
Robyn Reichle's "American Dream"
Depicted in the bottom left corner of the image is my partner who is an International Student from Brazil. He dreams of working in Aerospace, but cannot because he is not a U.S. Citizen. His greatest passion is also his greatest struggle. As an American, I see how much we take for granted in this country and realize how many times we say "I Have To" instead of "I Get To!" I hope this piece opens the eyes of others to the reality of what other people who are not citizens have to endure; furthermore, the lack of benefits, exclusion, and high cost that shrouds their idea of the "American Dream." - Robyn Reichle
Victoria Rodriguez's "Pandemic Movie Poster"
Carrier (2009), Contagion (2011), Virus (2019) are just some of the many films that portray the fear and reality of a global virus, and now, we are all living in one. Therefore, I thought I'd make my own movie poster for this current pandemic. - Victoria Rodriguez
