One minute | Dong Sicheng

One

The photography studio was my favourite place in the whole school. No one misbehaved, and everyone was simply there for their passion towards photography. Unlike English or Maths, Photography was an optional subject, so you didn't have to take it if you weren't interested.

Every month, we got given a new project to work on. And for the month of April, it was for the word 'Journeys'. We were allowed to interpret this word as we wanted to, and then show our meaning of the word through photography. This could be a physical journey, an emotional journey, a spiritual journey, etc.

I decided to stick with the physical journey. I chose to explore the history of animal migration and how they came to the UK, as animals were frequently gifted to English royalty or introduced for hunting. They would then migrate to other countries, such as Scotland or Wales, either due to trading, or for birds, just natural movement. It was truly fascinating.

I opened up my sketchbook, and used black pen to create my title "journeys" right at the top of the page. Sketchbooks were used for us to document our progress throughout each topic, and to annotate our inspirations for the project and analyse our finished work. 

However, for this project, it was even more important, as I saw a flyer in our classroom, stating that our project would be put up on display for other students and families to see. So I had to work even harder to make my work as perfect as possible. Usually my work got graded pretty well. But, for an exhibition, 'pretty well' just wouldn't do. It had to be perfect. 

I looked up, and I saw my classmates talking to each other with smiles on their faces. I always wondered what they spoke about, but I never got to be included in their conversations. But, based on the flyer, I guessed that it was about the exhibition that would be happening. 

I looked back down at my work, not wanting to get distracted by the most important thing at this moment; the project. I noted down the animals I would want to photograph; Fallow Deer and Canadian Geese. Canadian Geese were migrated to the UK in the 17th Century as a gift to the King at that time, while Fallow Deer were introduced in the Norman era, or the 11th Century, for hunting in Royal forests. Both animals have now been populated around the country, and are loved by many. 

Sometimes I felt envy towards animals, especially the Canadian Geese. They pair and mate for life. They permanently have a partner with them until one, or both, pass away. All I wanted was to have my own partner for life. Someone who would be with my through my best and worst moments, and someone who would love me just for who I am, and not for who I would change myself to be.

But I tried to tell myself that I didn't need somebody, I didn't need that partner, because then I would have to try and please somebody, and there are too many ways that it could go wrong. I was better off on my own, and animals were all that I needed.

All I could do to rid myself of the thoughts was tap myself on the head a few times and try to focus exactly on the task at hand.