[mark]

Thanks for all of the feedback.

I have made another attempt to contact the instructor.
In reply to this email, the instructor stated to start taking pictures of things that "talk to me in some way".
This has me even more confounded, as that is what I thought I had been doing all along.

I do not think they mean for me to break the rules of composition, as they have been pushing the students to follow those rules all semester.

This actually makes more sense than you realize.

Make a list of those things you are passionate about. Then try to communicate that passion.
Think theme. People may be passionate about fast cars but that is the object of the passion.
It is the SPEED they are really passionate about.

The instructor set the bar pretty high. Should be fun.