Gallery Submission Essay

When I was eleven I fell out of a tree and thought I was going to die. In those next few seconds spent gasping frantically for air, my lungs were suddenly reminded of how amazing oxygen truly is. Breathing is beautiful.

I really love life. I love the feel of sunshine and the sound of my camera’s shutter clicking. I look for the beauty in small details. Music makes my heart dance and I wish I was better at it. I want to travel the world over, learn a language or two, and fly first class before I die. I dream big, love fiercely, and laugh a lot. A lot a lot.

Photography lets me discover the confident elegance behind a smile, the power of architecture and design, and the grandeur of the stars. My camera has become my shadow; with me wherever I go and part of how I view the world around me. I want my photography to be a way for others to discover the exciting vibrancy surrounding them, be it ever so subtle. Magnificence can be easily overlooked, but I want you to pause. Stop. Soak in the beauty and let it take your breath away. Because sometimes you have to be reminded that breathing is beautiful.

It's blustery and cold outside; the rain beats against my window and the fierce wind threatens to de-leaf the nearby trees. La Jolla generally isn't stormy, but the timing couldn't be more perfect. I'm forced to stay inside with my hot tea, George Winston and piles of notebooks as I study for finals. Exams start in two days and I'm not ready yet. There's so much to know, so much to memorize, so much to write and regurgitate...I wish I could just pause time and pound it all out.

Another problem is major curiosity which generally is a good thing, but it's turning into a serious distraction. I've spent the morning studying Latin America for a final on Monday and I get carried away with researching all the policies I don't know about. I needed to define ALBA (the Boliviarian Alliance for the People of Our Americas) and instead I spent almost an hour discovering the details and history of it, the proponents, controversy, and social impacts of its implementation. It's fascinating and I knew nothing about it! So now I'm rather in love with Hugo Chavez, but progress in terms of finals studying is depressingly slow.

Oh well.