Why do you feel the way you do? I feel the way I do because due to Venezuela’s government I had to migrate to the U.S leaving my family behind. I haven’t seen them for 7 years and we are still counting. My family was separated, I have family members who I haven’t personally met, and the worst of it all I found out my grandma had cancer few months after coming to the U.S, she then passed away from cancer, and I haven’t been able to visit her grave.
What are your arguments for or against? the people supporting a government widely accused of embezzlement, electoral fraud, and human rights violations perpetuates a system that has devastated Venezuela’s economy and institutions. It enables authoritarianism and silences dissent.
What – or who – has influenced your decisions.
Personal experience, being in my country and having to deal with the power going out, water and gas. Having little to no resources available regardless of the money or stats of your family, meaning that if you weren’t directly connected to the government, you do not have access to resources.
What is the “flip side” of your issue?
The flip side argues that foreign sanctions, not internal corruption, are the main cause of Venezuela’s crisis. Some claim the opposition is equally corrupt or that the regime is unfairly targeted by Western media.
What might the other side have to say?
- “The government is defending Venezuela from imperialist aggression.”
- “Sanctions are the real reason for economic collapse.”
- “The opposition is fragmented and lacks credibility.”
Can you see their point of view?
Yes. Many Venezuelans live in poverty and may see the regime as their only lifeline. Propaganda, fear, and survival instincts shape their worldview. Understanding this helps avoid blaming individuals for systemic failures.
What is your reasoning for choosing your stand?
- Moral clarity: Corruption has robbed Venezuelans of dignity, opportunity, and freedom.
- Evidence: Billions in public funds have vanished, while elites live lavishly and citizens starve.
- Hope for change: Speaking out is a form of resistance and solidarity.
Is your artwork intended to offend?
Not to offend but to provoke. It’s meant to challenge complacency and expose injustice. If it makes viewers uncomfortable, that’s part of its power.
Who would be offended?
- Government officials and loyalists
- Those who deny or minimize the crisis
- People who benefit from the corrupt system
Does the artist have a right to offend?
Yes. Art is a tool for truth-telling. In oppressive contexts, offense can be a necessary act of defiance.
Critique your project. Does it get your point across?
Yes, it gets mine and many of other Venezuelan citizen’s point across. It shows that this isn’t just my way of thinking but of many others.
How? Is there a focal point (center of interest)?
The focus is to demonstrate how tired people are of waking and having to worry about what they will be eating today, or if they will even have gas to cook their meal, even worse if they will have power to cover their necessities.
USING THE PHOTOGRAPH SIMULATOR REFLECTION.
By using the picture simulator, I was able to learn how to properly expose an image. Using proper exposure allows the picture to maintain accurate colors and maintain its details. I also really liked how you could set the simulator to be manual, aperture priority (AV), and different modes that an actual camera has. Additionally, the real-life scenario of the child moving while taking the picture is helpful to learn how to take portraits of others.
- What are aperture, shutter speed and ISO? An aperture is how expanded the lense is in order to let the light in and the iso is how sensible to the light your camera is.
- When would you need to change your ISO? You would need to adjust your ISO if you are in a dark place or a place with a lot of light.
- What is aperture and shutter priority settings? semi-automatic modes that helps you control exposure.
- What are AF modes how do you change them? autofocus modes that help the camera focus in different things.
- Why do you need to meter the light to get the right exposure? because you can over or under expose the picture making the image unclear.
- What is the difference between a normal, wide angle and telephoto lens? normal lens captures what the human eye can see, the wide-angle lens captures a much broader scene, and a telephones lens magnifies distant angles.
- What is white balance and why would you need to change it? a white balance corrects color so that colors can conserve their color under sunlight and fluorescent.
- What is depth of field and what is the difference between shallow and good? depth of field is the range of which the background of a picture appears sharp.
- What are drive modes and metering modes? drive modes control how your camera takes pictures, and metering mode is for measuring the light for exposure.
- What is exposure compensation? a camera setting that allows you to adjust the brightness of your picture.