about me

The year is 2010, and it’s Christmas morning. Waking up is a hassle, but I get up anyway, ecstatic to find what’s beneath the Christmas tree. With the family all in the living room, we begin to open up presents. Of course, there’s the usual gifts of clothes, chocolates, and even silverware. Though, one present is quite peculiar, in that it isn’t even wrapped up, although addressed to me. Curious, I take a look inside: a Nikon D5100 and a Sigma 17-70mm. These little marvels, given to me by my loving parents, are my first DSLR and lens.

Even before coming across these wonderful items, I was always interested in photography, usually using the camera on my phone, though. It was only two years ago that I wanted to take it a step further and start shooting with a real camera. Never thought to ask my parents for one, but somehow, they guessed it, and I am both thankful and grateful for them. Nevertheless, quite simply, I am just an amateur photographer, taking pictures for my school’s yearbook, but once in a while, I’ll take a photo, edit it here and there, write a small interpretation of the picture, and then see how others respond to my perspective on life.

Today, taking pictures is a whole lot easier and more automatic than it was back then. Yet, in order to get those photos that demand a second glance – whether you’re having fun with the convenience of a cellphone camera, or discovering the countless capabilities of a digital single-lens reflex – we all have to master the basics: the amount of light coming through the lens at any single moment, how long the light streams in, and the optical properties of the lens that focuses that light. These are all characteristics I still have to learn and practice, but in spite of that, photography is still an endless joy.

Every camera, from a point-and-shoot to the one you just ordered online, is really nothing more than a dark box with a hole on one side and film/sensor on the other. It’s no doubt that the quality of the camera determines the quality of the picture, but it’s entirely up to you when it comes to the outcome of the photo, the composition, the meaning. Why do we take a picture, even if it is just a snapshot of ourselves that will end up on Facebook? Because we have something to say; there’s an emotion and feeling to each photograph we take, and it is for that reason why photography has interested me and been such an appeal. Whether it’s in a magazine, on the Internet, or a photo sent from my relatives, there will always be that one picture in which I can connect with, one that has caught my attention and mesmerized me, to the point where I can almost see the story behind it. This is what I wish to do with my photographs, what I hope to accomplish: to have a picture that gets you thinking, as well as one that you can relate to.

Originally from British Columbia, Canada, the beauty and nature of the Northwest has served as my inspiration and motivation for taking pictures. As you can see, photography and graphic design are both my interests and hobbies, but other activities I am fond of include soccer, chess, and playing the piano. I thank you for taking the time to visit my site and I hope you find my images worth a look. If you do find that in some weeks there are a lack of posts, do note that I am still at an age where homework, projects, and tests are still an issue, but I’ll try to not make that a limitation. And as always, if you do see yourself in one of these pictures and would like to have it taken down for personal reasons, please comment and I’ll be happy to do so.

Jean