I have been asked quite a bit recently (mostly by strangers or clients) why photography?
I don't really have a magical reason or story behind it, I wasn't born into a particularly artistic family, my dad was a teacher and my mom works in a bank, although she sang in a choir and played the flute as well as tinkered in some drawings. One of my grandfathers who I never met or knew of until well into college was a photographer and a distant relative is also in the photography industry but I was never mentored into the business and I'm not carrying on any legacy.
When I was younger I struggled with MAJOR anxiety and talking to people but I was relatively observant of my surroundings and finding little things that I could make beautiful. I am still an anxious person but it's manageable and I'm chilling with life. I remember when I decided I was going to do photography and I guess you could say I was a very determined child as I chose this career in the 8th grade after an art assignment was given to me to draw something, cut out a piece of it and then match it with something in nature to fill in the blank space. So me and my pink samsung digital camera took my art and started to find different textures and backgrounds to complete this project. I don't even remember the grade I received but I do know that It inspired me to continue to mess around with my camera.
My mom lent me her Pentax DSLR and I started to take more and more photos eventually leading to me being the designated team photographer for my sister's competitive soccer. I felt so cool. I also felt this really big sense of belonging and community and collaboration with all of these young girls looking to me for advice and for ideas and sharing this ONE thing with them was just the start.
I never thought I was extroverted or outgoing, but college has led me to believe that I am an extrovert with anxiety. Crazy, I know. I really did enjoy being around people and sharing ideas and bouncing off of others. I feel like I thrive off of connection and community, I look forward to meeting new people and hearing their stories. Photography has allowed me to bond with people through an art form that I love doing. It has created an opportunity for me to meet people, to get different opinions, to experience life differently.
I never would have thought that my passion would bring me this much self awareness and confidence, but now that it has I am not complaining. At the end of the day photography was something I found peace in and is something that I can continue to use to my advantage in the future. But no, there isn't much of an elaborate story to why I chose to pursue this, just my 13 year old self finding joy and dedicating myself to the craft.
Till text time,
xoxo Abi!
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I have been asked quite a bit recently (mostly by strangers or clients) why choose photography?
I don't really have a magical reason or story behind it, I wasn't born into a particularly artistic family, my dad was a teacher and my mom works in a bank. One of my grandfathers who I never met or knew of until well into college was a photographer and a distant relative is also in the photography industry but I was never mentored into the business and I'm not carrying on any legacy.
When I was younger I struggled with MAJOR anxiety and talking to people but I was relatively observant of my surroundings and finding little things that I could make beautiful. I am still an anxious person but it's manageable and I'm chilling with life. I remember when I decided I was going to do photography and I guess you could say I was a very determined child as I chose this career in the 8th grade after an art assignment was given to me to draw something, cut out a piece of it and then match it with something in nature to fill in the blank space. So me and my pink samsung digital camera took my art and started to find different textures and backgrounds to complete this project. I don't even remember the grade I received but I do know that It inspired me to continue to mess around with my camera.
My mom lent me her Pentax DSLR and I started to take more and more photos eventually leading to me being the designated team photographer for my sister's competitive soccer. I felt so cool. I also felt this really big sense of belonging and community and collaboration with all of these young girls looking to me for advice and for ideas and sharing this ONE thing with them was just the start.
I never thought I was extroverted or outgoing, but college has led me to believe that I am an extrovert with anxiety. Crazy, I know. I really did enjoy being around people and sharing ideas and bouncing off of others. I feel like I thrive off of connection and community, I look forward to meeting new people and hearing their stories. Photography has allowed me to bond with people through an art form that I love doing. It has created an opportunity for me to meet people, to get different opinions, to experience life differently.
I never would have thought that my passion would bring me this much self awareness and confidence, but now that it has I am not complaining. At the end of the day photography was something I found peace in and is something that I can continue to use to my advantage in the future. But no, there isn't much of an elaborate story to why I chose to pursue this, just my 13 year old self finding joy and dedicating myself to the craft.
