Ever since I was little, I've been obsessed with photographs.
I got a Barbie digital camera that came with the clunkiest editing software you've ever seen when I was around 5 or 6, and I thought it was the coolest thing. I always wanted to help my grandmother put together her scrapbooks, and for her to tell me the stories behind the photos over and over again.
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There has always been something compelling about capturing moments for me. For years I've been the self appointed historian of my friend group. Before I got a DSLR, I would carry around a tiny digital camera. "Take a picture with me" was pretty much my catchphrase at gatherings.
I eventually got a larger more "professional" camera when I was in high school before I made the jump to a DSLR. That's when I stopped taking pictures as much as I used to, because it was harder to carry around.
Fast forward a couple of years, and one of my good friends passed away. I scrambled to find any pictures of him that I could. I could only find a handful of pictures and a video, and that's all I had. From that moment on, I was determined I wouldn't let that happen again.
To this day I've converted my camera bag into a purse and it goes everywhere with me. Some may say living your life through a lens isn't a good thing and that you should live your life in the moment, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm not a very assertive person, so using my camera allows me to make quiet observations. It allows me to express myself without drawing too much attention. I love being able to capture candid photos of my friends at their happiest and being able to show them later. However, on the other side of that same coin, I can get friends together and do the most elaborate shoots and have so much fun. Photography is such a versatile form of creativity.
I know that these days everyone is a "photographer," and knows their way around a DSLR. Everyone is snapping pictures on their phones and slapping them on Instagram. And you know what? I kind of love it. I love being able to see people's stories unfold on Facebook and Instagram. I love that people have that ability in their pocket.
Carrying my camera around has allowed me to not only become a better photographer, but get more in touch with why I wanted to develop my skill in the first place. I want to be able to print my photos, put them in a box and tell my future family members the stories behind them just like my family did for me. I want to try to document why I love the people I love and why I do the things I do.
