FROM THE JOY OF VICTORY TO THE HEARTBREAK OF DEFEAT
"Highs and Lows That Athletes Experience, Telling Stories Through Their Expressions and Body Language."
I have been a serious volleyball player since grade 9 and a big fan of most sports. I started my journey as a photographer by capturing the passion of sports players. I am often at every event after school and “play” games, holding my camera aside with players. When taking photos, I recognize all my senses are open, and I am excited by the energy hidden within each moment. This is why I love photography.
I began as an observer, capturing games from a distance, much like a spectator. I went to any sporting games that I could to cover all the athletes for my school. For those “decisive moments,” I needed to observe the whole scene and focus on my senses for a long time. Then I would intuitively press the shutter to capture a fleeting instant where all elements in a scene come together in perfect harmony. I only focused on one objective when I was starting out, capture good-looking photos and give them to the athletes to spread positivity and happiness. I enjoyed every part of this but I felt something was missing in what I was trying to accomplish as a photographer. With each photo, I grew and learned that every frame should tell a story, drawing the viewer into the intensity, triumph, and emotion of the game as if they were on the field themselves. Sports is filled with raw emotions – from the joy of victory to the heartbreak of defeat. As a photographer, I love capturing the highs and lows that athletes experience, telling stories through their expressions and body language. Beyond the scores, I wanted to capture the players’ valuable effort and teamwork the most. As I developed my craft, I took the next step by experimenting with staged photos, giving me the ability to not just capture a moment but to create one. This shift allowed me to control every element—the lighting, composition, and body language—so I could carefully craft the exact narrative and emotion I wanted to convey. It became less about reacting to what was happening in front of me and more about shaping the visual story I wanted to tell. This process taught me how to direct and collaborate with athletes, making my work more intentional and expressive.
I aim to make connections with a variety of communities as well as experience different things and build out my career. I want to convey the hope that the lives of different people will be connected through my photos, that life will become art in love, happiness, compassion, understanding, and reconciliation, and that the connection will make the world we live in a better world. My goal is to become a strong bridge builder who visually raises awareness of global issues, brings together diverse groups and creates stories that resonate with others, inspiring lasting change in the world. I truly believe that small things can make a bigger difference and that giving back to the community is a must.