The Life Experience

I have always been the person to document events, my life, and the world around me. My camera has become my most comfortable accessory that travels with me wherever I go. It started in early middle school with my best friend and our many adventures. Her dad, a professional photographer, would always let us borrow his equipment to go on photo shoots. As life progressed, so did my passion and knowledge of photography. In high school I began working for clients and making money. Now in college, I've decided to pursue full-time fashion photography.

Along with my knowledge of photography, I've steadily learned when to NOT bring my camera with me. Sure, pictures of my way of documenting experiences and remembering my favorite moments. However, being able to capture a moment digitally is different from experiencing it.

The video, I Forgot my Phone perfectly displayed the plugged in world that we live in. We become so focused on capturing the moment that we don't actually feel it. Those emotions and feelings are what help burn moments into our memories. Images are wonderful when accompanied by those feelings. I have great appreciation for photography. It's the thing that makes me feel at home. It's the area I'm excited to grow and learn in. I also have a great appreciation for life, and remembering through my eyes and not always my lens.

We've become so concerned with sharing our experiences that we forget about being in the present. We experience things for the purpose to share them vs. experiencing and sharing later. Sometimes, we just need to put that camera or phone down.