People say that stopping time is impossible, yet taking a photo stops time in the

fragment of a second. And it’s magical when you’re able to catch the perfect moment. The world
moves so fast around me everyday. It’s breathtaking when I’m able to slow down. Photography
is my passion. It’s something I’ve only recently picked up, but I’ve made an effort to put myself
on a fast track to success.
I picked up my first DSLR camera, a Nikon D3200, in seventh grade. I played around
with it for about six months, then essentially dropped it because I didn’t have the proper training
or time to educate myself on photography techniques. It was forgotten until my junior year. I
heard from friends that there was a photography class offered at my school. It sounded exciting,
and with my basic understanding of photography I believed it was something I could excel in. I
decided to take it. This decision changed my life. I found myself loving every assignment and
putting a large amount of time and energy into them. Many people only took photography for an
elective credit, so my work was one of the best in the class. I was constantly being praised by
my teacher. I finally felt like this was somewhere I belonged. My work was featured in the AP
class photography show at the Mint Museum in Charlotte. I became a bit overconfident in my
work, knowing that anything I produce would be better than what others in my class offered.
That changed when my teacher encouraged me to move up to AP 2D Design Studio for senior
year. This hobby of mine was quickly turning into my future. Of course I accepted his offer. AP
credit in a class that I love? Yes! I also enrolled in proficient photography, a lower level class but
a few steps up from beginners, because I’d be able to learn more foundational elements to help
me out in AP. I also lost some confidence. Keep reading, it all works out in the end!
In a way, I needed my confidence shot down. It has helped me work harder to create
pieces I love. Beginners photography to AP photography was a huge leap. Instead of being one
of the only people making serious content, I’m now surrounded by people who share my
passion and drive. This is amazing, yet I still struggle everyday to come up with new ideas and
portray my thoughts in various pictures. I often doubt myself, because I don’t receive much of
the praise that I used to, at least not in the same way. My teacher has turned his comments into
words of encouragement to push me harder to be my best. I appreciate this and I strive every
day to be better. This year, it’s about planning out photos, thinking about the message they
convey. Whereas last year, we essentially just took photos for fun. With these new classes came
new challenges, and it has definitely paid off. I’m now learning to expand my knowledge and
broaden my imagination. This year has given me an optimistic point of view for my future.
In photography, I’ve found that it is an incredible balance of patience and ambition.
Clicking that button a thousand times may only give you three usable photos, but those could be
the best three photos you’ve ever taken. My advice to anyone lost in their own path is to do
exactly as one would when taking a photo. Wait, shoot, wait some more, then capture what’s
most important. I know I did.