How I Never Miss A Moment
Sreynoch “Jess” Van is currently attending Syracuse University, class of 2026.
Time flies. It feels as if I just landed in the United States yesterday, but now, I am already a sophomore. This semester, the majority of my classes are centered around photography and film. One of my favorite classes has been Introduction to Photography. From the moment I added this class to my roster, I was excited to understand the fundamentals of photography and learn how to explore the world around me through a camera lens.. I am now halfway through the semester, and I have loved going to this class every day.
As someone who is interested in filmmaking, I would say that my love for photography has grown, and has helped me become a better filmmaker. This class has helped me understand how to compose an image while encouraging me to find my voice through photography. I never once thought I might be interested in being a documentary photographer, yet this class got me interested in being one. It inspired me to go beyond what I know and what I had previously loved to do. I can now see the importance of photography in visual storytelling. It is as impactful as other mediums. I learned different composition techniques and camera technologies that will allow me to compose an image with intention and purpose.
My professor asked my class to make sure to have a camera with us every single day. Because of this, I never missed a moment. Being able to capture my immediate surroundings allowed me to have something to reflect on from each day. Although I am only halfway through this semester, I already feel like I learned to tell stories with care throughout my daily and weekly assignments. I go out into the world, create images, and get feedback from my professor. Although I have to say, approaching strangers and asking if I could take their pictures wasn’t easy it has only gotten better over time.
There is a quote from Gordon Park that has stuck with me the most throughout this process, “I picked up a camera because it was my choice of weapons against what I hated most about the universe: racism, intolerance, poverty.” People may think that a photographer is just someone who takes pictures, but, I have learned, they go beyond that. Photographers use their cameras to tell stories, and to learn more about the people around them I see this class as a stepping stone in my career. No matter what my career path will gonna be, I know that I will never stop documenting stories with my photography.There is a quote from Gordon Park that has stuck with me the most throughout this process, “I picked up a camera because it was my choice of weapons against what I hated most about the universe: racism, intolerance, poverty.” People may think that a photographer is just someone who takes pictures, but, I have learned, they go beyond that. Photographers use their cameras to tell stories, and to learn more about the people around them I see this class as a stepping stone in my career. No matter what my career path will gonna be, I know that I will never stop documenting stories with my photography.
*All photos taken by Jess Van for Introduction to Photography