Core Skills : Lens , Research 1

"Lindsay Gaono"

" I was always told from my father to always stand your ground regardless what happens. My mother always told me to never forget your culture and where you come from. 

I was born in Australia 12th of August 1989 raised in Samoa for five years then moved to New Zealand, August 8th 1996. Lived in St Heliers then we moved to Glen Innes. Stayed in Grey Lynn on Johns street moved to Mt Albert and been here since. We spoke English when we were at school and in public but we spoke Samoan at home and at family meetings. Now days we are starting to loose our language. Due to being surround but this westernized environment. I can stand here and say that regardless your situations there is always a way to hold on to your culture regardless were you end up in life. " - Lindsay Gaono

 I find Linday's work interesting because of how he uses places his culture into his work.

In most of his self portraits he represents the importance of his culture adding concepts to each photo that he takes. When it comes to my work I try my best to represent those concepts but by taking photos of other people. I'm not into self portraits because in my own opinion I believe that taking photos of yourself can get boring for others to see. I express my culture through my photos by capturing moments in life whether its of myself or others. 

This is an old photo that I took last year at Poly Fest of Mangere College. I edited the photo using Photoshop CS6 making the background and foreground black and white while keeping the woman in the mid-ground ( taupou ) in color to show that all eyes should be placed on her during her dance routine ( taualuga ).