Through the Lens, Back to Myself
What started as a blurry skyline became the clearest part of my path.
Photography has intrigued me ever since I snapped my first photos, some of which you’ll see below. I still remember that moment clearly: streaks of light melting into the Downtown LA skyline, all because of a laggy shutter. I was in the backseat with my friend Wudh, returning from Six Flags, playing around with an Olympus C-1. It didn’t offer many controls, but it had just enough to spark something creative in me.
Taken with Olympus C-1 (2001)
At the time, I was really into photoblogs. Flickr was just beginning to open up to the public, and I started following photographers whose work lit me up and shaped how I saw the world. I began taking my own photos, inspired by the images I kept coming back to. Some of those early influences are listed below with links to their websites. They’re still creating work I admire. I hope to contact them someday and thank them for how much their photography meant to me back then. Their vision helped train my eye and deepen the way I observe the world.