ME
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ME <>
I’m a big fan of committing to disciplines and hobbies, I enjoy sharing what I learn from them!
Hiking has always been an important activity in which I regularly partake. While drawing inspiration from photos on the internet is one thing, the experience takes on a completely different dimension when embarking on a physical journey to capture the beauty of nature.
The community aspect of this activity is also highly significant to me because I've engaged in some of my most eye-opening conversations by striking up chats with random individuals I meet along the way. It's worth noting that the person in the photo is not a random fellow; he's actually one of my closest friends. I included this picture because it captured a rare moment where one of my friends caught me in the act of trying to capture someone else. This instance allowed me to experiment with editing, providing an interesting perspective into the reality of taking a picture for the individual behind the lens, as opposed to what the photographer sees.
I have always had a love-hate relationship with the idea of traveling. Traveling serves as a vertical to experience culture and art through an extremely personalized and meaningful lens. I would be remiss not to include my experiences abroad as integral to shaping who I am as a person, particularly when accounting for my interests and taste. Something about walking the streets of places one hears about or reads about makes it feel like stepping into a magical world, providing an escape from reality.
However, having friends and family in all these different countries transforms traveling into more of a responsibility, at times taking me away from my home. Spending summers away from friends with whom I was supposed to grow alongside resulted in a significant disconnect with respect to my personal growth and a general sense of belonging. It created a peculiar experience where I would leave school with an idea of my relationships, only to return and find a growing distance due to my absence and lack of communication.
My general outlook on life is that I believe enjoying the simple and mundane parts of life is key to fulfillment. I find it somewhat absurd to present an idea like that, considering that everything about this website and the pictures I showcase is anything but simple and mundane. I specifically chose the picture for this excerpt because I remember it being just a routine moment where I was spending time with friends. It wasn’t glorious in the moment, but the more time I spent with my friends doing mundane tasks like getting food or hanging out, the more meaningful this experience became. I feel I wouldn't be able to appreciate or look back on these photos and memories if I did not spend time engaging in the monotony that comes with my beautiful friendships.
Studying historically prolific artists and what they have to offer, I've realized that a lot of art and good professional work involves discipline and mastery of a few simple tools and practices. Once you learn how to excel at one skill (for me, it was bodybuilding), you can apply that method to everything. Before you know it, people start respecting your work.
I believe that art is a reflection of how the simple and mundane nature of living can culminate in a portrayal of life that harbors truth and beauty. If you manage to find away to portray life as exciting and funny, then you have really outdone yourself!
