So a little backstory about this shot. We were at the zoo and I really wanted to test my camera out and see if I had any potential to be a photographer, and this was one of the shots of the day. When I showed it to my father, who knows a little bit more about photography, he said you can't even see the frog but I told him thats kind of what I liked about this shot. I've always liked to capture or look at images that kind of show the mysteriousness of nature.

“No photograph ever changed anything all by itself, for photographs are highly dependent creatures and their influence is entirely contingent on words, circumstances, distribution, and belief systems “ is quoted from ‘under the influence of photography’ by Goldberg. This quote explains a lot about why the photograph ‘Dali Atomicus’ by Phillippe Halsman has a great cultural significance. It has such an importance culturally because it not only explains a lot about physics, looking inside the idea of suspension, but it also has a cultural impact because of the context behind the image and its important message. The photograph’s message seems to be that if you work hard, the product you end up with will be worth it. This image affects me personally because of the message it portrays in such a joyful way.

I never thought I’d see the day where life seemed bleak for the entire planet. I’ve been oscillating between moments of fear and panic, tears streaming down my cheeks, to joy and gut-splitting laughter when video chatting with family and friends.

There are approximately nine to ten miles between the El Paso Museum of History, located in downtown El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. The two binational metropolitan cities, however, are strikingly intertwined. They are not only bound together geographically, historically, and culturally, but artistically as well. Their influence on each other is literally quite apparent, especially while gallivanting through the downtown streets of either side of the border.

A picture paints a thousand words. But a photo has them all- how many words does it take to write a history of history? can it be caught in a the blink of a shutter?

As a kid, I was always fascinated by watching the sun rise. In summer, I would often wake up before even the birds to sit by the window and watch the sun awaken a sense of wonder in me. I would sit there until the last wisp of pink was gone from the horizon. The first time I flew on a plane was when I was 6, and the second I stepped on the plane, I felt truly alive, like it was my calling to be on that plane. I loved the sensation of being far above my troubles and feeling like I could touch the sky. Whenever I flew on a plane as a kid, I always rushed to the window seat and didn’t take my eyes off the sky for a second. Since then, I have traveled to many countries and seen countless sunrises, but none can compare to the sunrise I witnessed just a week ago on a plane to Florida. I was having a bad day, since I had to wait in line for hours at then airport, and I had not slept a wink the night before. But the second I stepped on the plane and looked out the window, I felt that all was right in the world. I saw deep purples unfurling around the sun and crescendoed into magical crimsons, with clouds gracefully dancing in the sky. I was in awe, and couldn’t tear my eyes away for a single second, in the fear that I would miss something. I pulled out my phone just seconds before the plane took off and it began to rain, fat drops rolling down the windows. After about a minute after taking off, I managed to take this incredible picture of the city lights beneath a majestic sunrise. It represents how the earth might seem quiet from below, but up above, there is a sort of magic displayed that is different than anything else on this world. I took dozens, if not hundreds of pictures in the small window of time that it took for the sunrise to turn into a brilliantly blue sky without a cloud in sight, but this one was the only one that truly made me think “wow”. The rain stopped, and I looked over my pictures. I came across this one, and I could not stop looking at it. It was so perfect, I did nothing to change it at all. I didn’t even edit it at all, despite the faint reflection of my phone in the window. The reflection shows how such a beautiful moment can always be captured with just a camera. It showed the magic of the sunrise combined with the gracefulness of flying. After looking through all of the photos stored on my phone (nearly 14,000 of them!), it was a no-brainer to go with this picture since it holds such a dear place in my heart. I have taken many photos in my life, and my obsession with photography started when I was just a toddler, but this is definitely my favorite and most cherished photograph. I have since tried to take pictures that compare to that work of art, but they fall short of the splendor that is displayed there. Hopefully my picture can help inspire young photographers to always have faith in their abilities and that a good picture is always where you least expect it. I hope that my picture is able to awaken the curiosity and playfulness that lives in every person, young or old. Thank you for taking my picture into consideration, and I apologize for any potential typos, as I am writing this on a cell phone (the same one that I took the picture on!).

“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” – Karl Lagerfeld

As I walked through the pale white double doors leading to this beautiful dome, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and joy as I gazed up at this historic monument that I was witnessing before me. I struggled to take in all the wonderful beauty that was unfolding before my eyes. At first I wasn't sure how to capture this iconic ceiling. I walked around the perimeter of the room and just marveled at all the glorious beauty that was around me. Granite tile polished to a high gloss, illuminated each historic step. In the East wing, there were many depictions of impressionist artwork. Monet, Manet, Rockwell and Degas all lined the walls of the wing. Thin brush strokes combined with life like portraits lined the hall, each more beautiful and breath taking than the last. To the West was the hall of the more surrealist painters. Picasso, Dali, and Magritte all found a place here. As I gazed at each unique shape and misaligned figure, I began to realize that these were all great works of art and each worthy of appreciation but this still was not exactly what I was looking for on this very day. I took a stroll to the North wing which lead me to the more modern art section of the museum. Warhol, Lautrec, Munich and Metzinger all could be found here. For me it was a very interesting depiction of exactly what modern art meant for each generation. For earlier works of art, cubism and surrealism definitely played a part in framing exactly what the works of art would look like. After this I veered into the main hallway and had a look up at the incredible domed ceiling that was some 30 feet above my head. This is where I spent the rest of my time that afternoon. I went with a "panoramic" approach but that wasn't giving me the desired effect that I was after. I kind of gave up on the perfect shot for a little while instead focusing on the wonderful landmark that was right in front of my eyes. I stopped to wonder at everything that was around me, the history, the beauty, the incredible attention to detail and I was completely moved. My attention then wandered to the fact that many incredible historical figures stood right where I was standing and gazed up at this remarkable ceiling just as I am doing now. A certain feeling of solidarity came over me and I began to realize that we are all connected in this world, none of us are the same but we are all together in this incredible world and I then realized that I was such a part of something greater than myself, a part of something greater than I could ever imagine! I took a step back and surveyed the shot and looked long and hard at the ceiling. It was at this point that I decided to really get a good set shot, I tried the action shot with my camera but that didn't elicit the desired result for me. I fumbled through the settings once again to try portrait setting but that seemed to not give a true color to the shot. I finally settled on the pro setting and adjusted the color temperature down a little bit and adjusted the shutter speed slightly higher as it was a very well lit room with combination natural light and artificial LED lighting. The result is what you see here, this glorious shot of that magnificent ceiling with untold souls who stood, walked and admired the ceiling just as I had on this very day. I will never forget my visit to the Smithsonian museum of art in Washington D.C. The ceiling and setting were simply breathtaking and I am forever grateful that I took a trip there.

Heading West on a desolate stretch of aging Arizona asphalt, the famed Route 66 Museum known as Cool Spring's Station offers some unique sights and sounds for those who venture a visit, especially during the "golden hour", with this vintage American classic pickup standing proud against the brilliant kaleidoscope of colors from the Sun setting over the mountains in the background.

Pictured here are two of my closest friends sitting on a high-elevation mountain ridge between two peaks in Crested Butte, Colorado. When I took this picture, with us all sitting on a small boulder surrounded by low growing pine trees on a knife’s-edge trail at about thirteen thousand feet, I felt it described my friendship with these two wonderful young women perfectly. Looking out either side were two valleys with 360-degree views of formidable and breathtaking mountain peaks in the Gunnison National Forest. I had just introduced these two to one another that summer, and instantaneously we were all thick as thieves. In an Instagram caption, I had written, “when your two favorite TV shows do a mash-up.” It seemed like I got the best of both worlds in my friendship to each of them. We hadn’t planned to hike that much that day, all of us wearing just strap on sandals on our feet and swimsuits underneath our clothes, but we just kept moving, laughing and playing in the waterfalls and snow banks left from a heavy snow that winter. This would be the first of many huge hikes we would take that summer, sometimes trekking upwards of twenty miles in a day. Even though there were so many moments where I thought my lungs would explode right before we summited a mountain, there were even more moments where my sides were splitting from laughter as we danced on mountain tops. This moment is candid. Neither is wearing her best clothes or makeup. They are not trying to be anything, not trying to fulfill any role of what it means to be feminine or attractive, but in their own true selves illuminate what it means to be strong and reflective of their inward beauty. This photo is a wonderful reminder of one of the most fun summers of my life and a captured moment between me and my dear friends. At the end of the summer, Heather (pictured right), had told me, “Wow, we could’ve died so many times.” I hadn’t thought of it, and it struck me as odd that this extremity of living hadn’t seemed at all dangerous to me. Amongst cliff jumping into waterfall punchbowls, hauling ass in Bel’s (pictured left) Ford scout on narrow, rocky mining roads, boot skiing down summer snow banks lining steep valleys, climbing up mountain sides that almost felt as sharp as 90 degree angles, and walking down wet canyons in atmospheric thunderstorms, I hadn’t even felt for a second at risk of anything. Reflecting on our many adventures, I still don’t feel like I needed to worry about anything. We live in a very precautious world today, where danger and fear often loom around the word adventure. I think it is wise to be wary and to be smart about your situation, especially as a female, but in a sense I do not believe it is worth it to hesitate in order to lead a thrilling and full life. Things can go wrong, but more often than not, one can form some of the most meaningful and spiritually connected experiences they will ever have in their entire life. I feel like after the summer of 2017, I was far less afraid to take big leaps and to make room for fun in my life, especially when it can be shared with friends. Although my life now is radically different than when I lived in the mountains as a full time artist in New York City, and Heather and Bel now on their own adventures in Seattle and France, I still feel a bond lingering amongst us and an unspoken truce to live life defiantly, fully, and with maximal fun as the highest priority. There are so many chance moments in life, and like this photograph, I’m happy I’ve been there to take it.

Today, I woke up and I immediately jumped out of bed and ran into my day headfirst. I did not stop to think or breathe or anything, I knew where I needed to go and there was no time to waste. And that is how most of my days are now, a constant state of GO-GO-GO. But there was a day not so long ago when I got to flip this routine on its head. And this photo is the most beautiful reminder of that time.

I adore this photo. Editing was simple because it was a perfect day; I simply adjusted the angle and brightened the whole thing because I love light. I’m a fan of centered photos often, but I adored have the subject at the center as the path in the woods and the girl being off to the side. Sometimes, most often, life is lopsided and not perfect so I like that to show through in photography too. When pictures are too symmetrical they just don’t speak to my heart.