Honestly, the majority of people who read this article can admit that they have an obscene number of photos in their phone albums. In our society, it is not uncommon when you, with one click on your phone screen, can capture a photo of any moment. No waiting, no hassle. From using film cameras and darkrooms to our now, much more advanced, DSLR and mirrorless cameras, it seems that there are endless advancements for the photography world. With the addition of smartphones to our society, it has enabled every person who owns one to consider themselves a “photographer.” Even though this is a declining market for job opportunities, one man strives to stay up on the photography game every day.

Will Follett, a freshman at Drake University, ritually fuels his love of photography every day. For three years now, he strives to teach himself more about the photography world. For him, however, it’s not just about taking a photo – it is about the composition and meaning of each and every photo he takes. He shares, “I like to play a game with my photos. I like to decide if my photos could be a frame in a movie. I love the cinematic aspects of photos.” The lighting, as he shares, creates a lot of this aspect. At Drake University, the surrounding nature of campus is the epitome of perfect for Will’s cinematic expressions. As a close friend of Will, I know personally that if you walk anywhere with him, you will be forced to stop about ten times just so he can snap pictures. However, Will defends himself by saying he never wants to leave somewhere wishing he took a photo. A common statement from Will is, “There are so many Instagram opportunities today.” Basically, this man would be lost without social media and his iPhone, but that’s what makes Will who he is and what drives his passions.

While only being at Drake for two weeks, Will is already making an impression on his campus. He started off by making an Instagram account dedicated solely to the beauty of Drake’s campus (@Drakeu365). This idea is truly used to channel creativity, but also stay on top of his photography all around his college campus. Will is also running the photography club on campus, which is to start up within the next couple of weeks. The club will be meeting weekly and have the main focus of letting students take a part in engaging and collaborating through their love for photography. Will comments, “I want this club to be a space for everyone to discuss and have a chance to get critiques from their peers. No one should be afraid to share their photos with others.” The importance of this environment leads to confidence to share and connect with others by the usage of photography.

Overall, photography unites people. With photography, Will is able to recreate moments that others were not able to experience. The future of photography looks bright for this young man and I cannot wait to see the success he will have.