I have been into photography for about three or four years now. Growing up, my mom took photographs and told me stories about my grandfather who was a well-known photographer in Nashville, Tennessee back in the day. The genes have passed down to me, and I have a passion for photography and seeing the world through my lens. All I can say is thank you to photography for giving me a new way to see.

Dear Photography: Without you, I wouldn't see the world the way I do. I wouldn't notice the textures of all the buildings, the architecture and the colors, everything the building is. I would see it as another building I enter into. I wouldn't notice the distinct features of people's faces. I wouldn't notice the way the wind blows through people's hair or the way the sun hits their face in the most perfect way.

Without photography, I wouldn't have the ability to express myself through still life. I express myself with the clothes that I wear, the way I wear my hair, my personality, my hobbies but photography allows me to capture these different forms of expression. I'm able to freeze time in one moment, and go back in another. Reminiscing over the times when I felt absolutely still in that moment that the photograph was taken.

Without photography, I would have one less outlet for myself. I have soccer, fashion, and singing as outlets, as things that make me happy or in soccer's case, gives me an outlet for a little aggression, but photography is a serenity in itself. Photography calms me down. When I'm out and about with my camera, I have the chance to stop and observe all that occurs around me. I'm in no rush, not getting caught up in the hustle and bustle that is everyday life, just looking.

Without photography, I wouldn't get to use my mind to create a story. When I was little, I enjoyed writing poems, making up games, making crafts, making up choreography with my brother, playing around with different rhythms, improvising songs, etc. and photography allows me to do all these things with just one simple photo. One photo can explain so many things that are going on in my mind. The fun part is that not everyone will understand it, but it speaks to me.

Without photography, I would be missing a part of who I am. Photography is me. Photography is whatever I make it, and I love that. I make photography, I surpass the conventional rules that are considered photography. I create a new definition of photography for myself every time I click that button, and the camera, "becomes a save button for the mind's eye." - Roger Kingston.