Alexis Chang Takayama '18 Recruiting Profile

    According to Dictionary.com, the definition of passion is any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling as love, hate, and desire. I feel these emotions when I am with my camera. Photography is my passion because I can view things from different perspectives, it allows me to be in a whole other world, and it is my stress reliever.

    Looking through the lens of my camera is totally different than looking at things through my own eyes. My viewpoint completely changes. Anytime I look through the lens, I see different things, from light exposure (natural and manufactured), shadows, background distractions, and more, but I tend to focus on the central idea. Using the viewfinder and display screen allows me to see what real life has to offer and what photography has to offer. The perspective of the moment through the camera is more complex than our eyes, but can be simplistic as well. For example, if I were to find a pretty flower, more than likely I would take a picture of it. Looking at the flower visually, with my eyes, I can pinpoint the different colors, tones, and variations of the plant itself. If I were to look at the display screen, I can alter the saturation, sharpness, or aperture, as well as focus the lens to get a sharper/unfocused shot the way I wish. This taught me to keep things simple and to stick to the point, but also have some alteration in the image so that I can perceive things from a different perspectives.

    Photography also allows me to be in a whole other world. When I have my camera in my hand, I completely change from my daily life and get tuned into the moment. I have a Polaroid camera and on the back of it I have a sticker print out that says, "carpe diem." It’s is a reminder that it's okay to forget about time for just a moment. Live in the present. In March of 2017, I went with my three friends to Ho'omaluhia (a very beautiful botanical garden) just to hang out and take pictures. The view is already breathtaking, but I also had my camera. I began taking pictures and I totally lost track of time. Before I knew it, two hours flew by. I was so happy enjoying that day I had with my friends and taking pictures, I got lost within my own little world. This recent moment is one of the many moments where I can be in my own little world and be myself. Every photographer competes to be the best. My goal is to forget about the competition by doing what I do and surprise them by what I have in store.

    As I get lost in my own world taking pictures, my stress disappears. Photography makes me really happy. There are no worries when it's just me, my camera, and my friends. During my junior year of high school, I went through a lot of changes and faced events that were unplanned. People I met through Instagram asked me to go shoot, and by meeting up with them I got a sense of joy back and I felt like myself again. During this point, I was grounded and had all my electronics taken away (but thankfully, not my camera). With this exception, I'm able to take pictures and it makes me happy. Since I can't go out, I just take random pictures of objects that seem cool to me or of my family members when they're off guard. I know I can't edit them and post them on social media, but just knowing I was able to take a shot sparks a little happiness inside me. I get so excited when I have my camera in my hand and I don't care what other worries I have. Worrying is my biggest thief of joy and my camera is my joy. When I'm not doing anything, or I'm bored, I ask my friends to go shoot, or find random things to take pictures of and edit them. It makes me feel relieved. I can always turn to photography to calm myself.

I feel passionate when my camera is in my hands. It taught me to view things from different perspectives, that it’s okay to get lost in your own little world, and it’s a great stress reliever for me. I plan to build a portfolio of my favorite shots to send in as part of my college and/or job applications. One thing I was always told was to never give up on something I love and to be an ambitious person. In the future, I hope to follow my aspirations in becoming a photographer and pursuing my passion.