“What a long takes to become the person you have always been.”

For a good amount of my life I was trying, like most, to figure out what I was good at and what I liked to do. It was a long process of self discovery until I realized that what I liked to do didn’t necessarily have to be something I was good at. I just had to find the passion for what it was I enjoyed and if I wasn’t good at it, it didn't necessarily matter. It’s like playing a sport, you aren’t necessarily amazing at the sport when you first start off. There are very few that are born with the talent from the start. For most it takes constant practice, motivation and drive to get even remotely good at something. With time, if you have the passion to get better at a sport or anything you do, than you will get better.

I discovered my passion for photography back in 2011. I always loved looking at family photographs both from my early childhood days and old black and whites in albums. When my parents asked me what I wanted for my graduation present from 8th grade I said a really nice camera. I am sure they weren’t to thrilled with the idea of getting me an $800 camera at the time, but they eventually came around to the idea. Either that or they caved due to my persistence. One of the first photos I ever took was a sunset over a lake. I was so happy with the result of the photo and how people complimented me on it, that I decided I had a passion for photography.

I also decided that I wanted to learn more. Since having this self discovery, I have been fascinated with landscape photography. What I love about this passion is that I can always keep learning more. There will never be limitations with what I can learn with the camera unless I lack the desire to do so.

I was fortunate enough to take two classes in Brooklyn. One of them was the basics of DSLR cameras and the other was Street photography. I say fortunate because these classes did cost money, and my parents were nice enough to get the classes for me as a gift. Having the support from them to learn more made me very grateful and I definitely learned a lot from those two classes.

Although I wouldn't pursue photography as a leading career, I do love the joy it brings me when I take a photo that I really like or someone else appreciates. I think that Ansel Adams being the very inspiring photographer he was, left us all with one important quote: “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” I think that changes the way I look at all of this. In a way you make the photo the second you say “Oh, this would be a really great shot!” You saw the visual and you made it by adjusting your settings and clicking the button.

So continue doing those things you are passionate about and make you feel joy, because you only got one life to live, and everyone deserves to spend their life the way they want to!