Mambo

When I was about eight I remember staring into the pages of a National Geographic Magazine, telling my father that some day, I'm going to do that. I'm going to travel to beautiful far off places like the ones in my Fairy Tales, I'm going to meet interesting people and write stories. When I was eight, I also said I wanted to be a veterinarian, an astronaut and a pro basketball player. As I got older the dream disappeared.

At 21, I felt I wasn't getting enough out of my life. It was routine and nothing changed a lot. The real problem was, I wasn't changing. Work, relationship, University, bills to pay - life was happening all around me, but not the life I had imagined when I was eight. I yearned for change and longed for those days as a child when I felt like anything imaginable was possible. I wanted what I once dreamed of and realized I was the only one who could make that happen.

So, I moved to Tanzania, East Africa, and for three months I threw myself into a world and culture unlike anything I could have even hoped for. Amongst a sea of poverty and tin roof huts, among Aids Orphans and hopeful vendors along the road, I saw the beauty in tragedy. I felt content when I had very little, and found it most humbling seeing those who had much less, face each day with strength and hope for tomorrow. It sparked things in me that had been laying dormant for way too long. I found myself thinking about those days as a child, staring wide eyed into photo essays, the vibrancy on the pages captivating me and for the first time in a long time, I saw through those eyes again.

I found myself and life took a shift for me.

I've always been interested in photography, however up until a year ago, I hadn't even owned my own decent digital camera, let alone an SLR. My biggest interest has always been people, I love peoples story, yet I'm terrified of the initial approach to someone new. After some soul searching and decision-making, I decided to pursue a life of becoming a photojournalist. To this point, it's honestly the best decision I have ever made.

I want my photography to be a representation of who I am and how I live. My own personal journey drifting to somewhere, anywhere, never walking the linear path and forever traveling into the unknown.

This blog is going to be a combination of the things that make up what I call my life. It will be a glimpse into my home, travel, interests, challenges, new friends, familiar faces and adventures. New beginnings, somethings end, pain, survival and random encounters with people whose names I won't remember or I'll never forget. An accurate representation of my life as seen through my left eye.

I think every day I am learning and growing more not only as a photographer but also as a human being. In 1/80 of a second, I am learning what those moments captured mean to me as the one pushing the button. I am learning why I want to do things I do and how my actions and reactions can affect others, positively or negatively. I never want to lose my compassion for the world around me or the people who inhabit it. I never want to forget that my job, my story or my great shot is someone Else's life. Behind every face is a story and that story is an everyday that can be captivating, exhilarating, gut wrenching, and mind blowing or heartbreaking. Most always though, inspiring. I can only hope that in my quest, my heart and lens become the best of friends.

Maybe, I just want to try and change the world.

Is it a childish dream? Or is it a tangible possibility? I mean, exactly how we measure change makes a huge difference in itself does it not? A smile is contagious and they do say that laughter is the best medicine. I've never seen someone complain that there's a shoulder to cry on or an open ear to listen. Seems pretty simple. So, I hope through honesty, emotion, interaction, faces, failure, the baring of souls and all things heart shaped, I can show a little piece of the world I see, to the rest of the world.


❤
K