Ecuador

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

Ecuador | Friday, November 23, 2012 | 5 photos

In 2008, I had a dramatic experience that expanded my worldview. It all came about because of a visit to a friend’s house in Ecuador. I arrived to an upper middle class family residence my first night in Quito. For three days I took pictures and talked about my Gullah heritage and family background. My friend’s family did the same, teaching me about Quito’s history, customs and traditions. As I began to know and love this family, I noticed that they did not have a lot of family photos. I decided my gift to them would be my pictures. The mother was brought to tears because it was a very intimate portrait of the family. After this trip, I decided that I wanted to live a live a life of service and take pictures. I decided I would go to medical school and join an organization such as Doctors without Borders upon graduation. I would like to create photographic interventions for people who have chronic health conditions. As a physician/photographer, I can empower others to care for themselves effectively. This would be a unique contribution to the field of photography. I would not only learn how to be a photographer, but also teach others to use photography as a a tool for wellness.