Intent Gazings

My Scholarship entry - Floating hope

Thailand | Monday, November 24, 2014 | 5 photos

Photography has always been a humbling activity for me. There is nothing quite like taking your camera to the streets with the tiny hope that you'll be bringing something good back with you, and then flipping through the shots later on only to realize that you could have done better. This desire to do better technically and creatively, to feel pride in a shot well made, motivates me every time. What I like about photography is that you never run out of ways to approach a subject. There is always another angle, another way to reveal a truth about a person, place, event, or issue. I don't think I'll ever tire of these attempts.

I picked up my Mom's Nikon at sixteen and through it navigated the murky waters of adolescence; learning what was and wasn't important to me. I started out taking pictures of my peers, our lifestyle and interests: music, youth, having fun. Maturing little by little, I see my interests evolving as well. Now, I want to start focusing on connections. Eventually, I want to reach a point where I can capture issues that have social relevance; learn to weave stories that can impact our perception of the world. There is still so much to learn, so much more to do.