Into the eyes

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Worldwide | Tuesday, November 8, 2011 | 5 photos

Photography is a powerful tool. It allows for a deeper level of expression than words can offer, yet requires no words.

I became interested in photography in middle school, asking my dad to teach me everything he knew. I would spend days exploring my neighborhood, seeing the world through the lens of my camera. I fell in love with the elegance and beauty of photography; the power of an image; the power of silence. I remember waking up early on weekends to spend the whole day with my dad in the dark room, under the red light, watching stories gradually appear on the paper. My passion for photography has driven me to take a variety of classes in school, participate as my high school yearbook photographer, and has now become a fundamental part of the individual that I am.

My fascination with Africa began when I was quite young. I can't say exactly why or how it started, but over the years it has grown stronger and deeper, than any other feeling I have ever known. Africa is one of the last continents where some of the largest and most powerful animals still reside in their natural habitats. Through photography, I want to show people that this harmonious coexistence is both possible and essential. I want to capture the simple, raw beauty that embodies Africa, to instill change in others across the world. I want to plant a seed, a thought, a realization of the world we live in. The power in a photograph resides in where it allows the mind to travel, the inspiration it can provide and the change it can foster.