How photography changed my perspective THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER

The four of us stood in front of a golden yellow background dressed head to toe in business formal attire. “We’ll try this shot one more time,” I say to my friends as I examine the screen of my camera. Michael Houser, Micah Reeves, Ian O’Neal and I arrange ourselves for the third time, this time with our chins down, backs straight and our props in frame.

Ca-Chick

1/80 shutter, 2000 ISO, 5.6 aperture. These were the settings used to capture the front cover of my editorial magazine known as “Well Dressed Wednesday,” a 32-page self-published photography project dedicated to the brotherhood of me and my close friends.

Photography has always been about connecting with others, regardless of whether I’ve been conscious of it. During my first year in my high school’s photojournalism program, I viewed shooting sports and events merely as a task to document the event.

What’s the score? Who scored a goal? Whose cheering the loudest?

In spite of a less-than-personal mindset, I was inadvertently telling stories. As I matured as a photographer in the following years, my perspective broadened and I began to notice the stories I was telling. This realization helped me understand and enjoy not just my journalistic work, but my personal creative projects as well. When my hands were on a camera, new questions replaced the old ones.

What’s unseen? Who is going unnoticed? Whose story should I tell?

Maybe it’s photographing the school district’s football announcer who was merely a booming voice prior to this coverage. Maybe it’s capturing a senior soccer player shedding bittersweet tears with his teammates after his final varsity match . Maybe it’s documenting my closest friends sharing the gift of simply being together for a homemade magazine.

Who Will I Be

Making big decisions sends me into existential crisis

At the beginning of Camp Rock, there’s a song in which Demi Lovato’s character, Mitchie, contemplates which side of herself to show the world.

“How to choose who to be. Well let’s see, there’s so many choices now.”

With the end of high school approaching, I relate to her sometimes. Making big decisions like choosing a major, or even a college to attend are crucial and have a big impact on the rest of my life.

Change can be highly frustrating for someone as indecisive as I am. I’m indecisive to a fault. No matter how much advice I seek, my decisions are never backed with 100% confidence. There are so many paths I can take.

Is this what will make me happy?

Is this what will make me successful?

Do I really know what I’m getting myself into?

I want to major in Language Arts and be a college professor, but what if I don’t like it? The rest of my life is approaching and I don’t want anything to be final.

Will I reinvent myself like I did in the past? Who will I become this time?

The number of ‘what ifs’ multiplies daily . Will I be a crafted version of myself or do I let myself shine the way I am?

What decisions that I make as an 18-year-old will affect who I’ll be in 20 years?

“Who will I be? It’s up to me. All the never ending possibilities.” photo by Sydney Jackson

Through my passion, I’ve been able to tell the stories of those I may only see from a distance, as well as the ones closest to me.

With two different personalities represented in her makeup, senior Sophia McCraney looks at herself in the mirror May 1 at her house.