Growing up, I could never be found without a camera in hand. From my pink and purple Discovery Kids camera, to my very first Canon Rebel T6, I have always had a love for photography.

I began taking photos of all my adventures, photographing gorillas at the zoo and mountain goats in Glacier National Park. When I lived in Oregon my 8th-grade year, I made videos about the places I visited to send home to my News4You class at Central Middle.

Starting my freshman year of high school, I took an intro to journalism and fell in love with writing. I loved how you could tell someone’s story and make their day all in one. That next year, I enrolled in Advanced Journalism, diving into the role of Sports Editor.

From that point on, my love for journalism blossomed into what it is today. I fell in love with capturing every moment: the heartwarming hugs after an exhilarating race, the motions the players do at the plate before the pitch and the reactions from the bench after the third-consecutive 3-pointer from the sharpshooter. 

I became obsessed with the color and depth of the photo. I found my favorite time to shoot to be when it is 65 and gloomy. The way the bright rose-red of the catcher’s gloves and apple cider-colored dirt sprinkled across the pants contrasts with the stark white of the jersey just takes my breath away. In that lighting, everything is highlighted, yet nothing is over-exposed. The combination makes for the most perfect photo.

I love more than anything the way journalism and all it includes can make someone feel. Journalists hold the power to make someone’s day a little brighter, something I hope to do the rest of my life.