How it got started

I first picked up a camera when I was nine years old in my hometown of Seattle, Washington. It was a Sony camcorder from the 90s. It was the type of “digital” camera that primarily used tape to record on. I started filming my sibling and parents, and whatever else came to mind.

I later learned that camera recorded me taking my first steps.

I then “upgraded” to an old Costco DSLR camera my mom showed me how to use. I was thrown into the world of real photography; exposure, metering, aperture, etc. My brain took off at the thought of all the exciting things I could capture. I would take pictures of anything and everything around me, quickly checking the screen to make sure I got the shot.

But i quickly learned what I liked taking pictures of the most: people.

Awakening

I continued taking pictures of just about anything up until the end of High School. By then, had some decent camera equipment and a lot of knowledge. It was the beginning of senior year and people were starting to talk about senior portraits.

A lightbulb went off in my head.

I first offered to take senior photos to a friend who had already had a professional take their graduation pictures. Despite this, she took me up on my free session (I think mostly for Instagram likes) and the results were stunning.

She discarded the pictures from the professional who charged hundreds of dollars and used mine instead.

Word went around. I did 15 different sessions for my classmates in two weeks. I knew photography would be in my life, but now I knew it would be my life.