Festive Heights, Elisa Reyes

Medium: Photograph

“This photograph captures a child elevated above the crowd during a cultural celebration, embodying both joy and continuity. The act of being carried on shoulders symbolizes generational support, while the festive costume reflects how traditions expand into the present, weaving community and identity together. Speaks to cultural and generational expansion: traditions carried forward, elevating the next generation while celebrating community. 3- The photography composition course provided me with the tools to analyze and construct images with greater intention. It deepened my awareness of visual details and strengthened my ability to translate observation into meaningful composition, which directly informed the development of this work.”

A photograph of a child sitting on an adult’s shoulders during a street celebration. The child wears a bright yellow lion-dance headpiece and holds a smiling lion-face cutout in front of their own face. The adult beneath is bundled in winter clothing and smiling. Behind them is a storefront with Chinese characters and the words “GOLDEN SHANGHAI.” People in winter jackets gather in the background.