about
“Being a visual creative can’t be taught, it’s something that lives within you and eventually comes out for the world to see, one day. ”
-Janaya Burke-Smith
My journey as a creative started very young. In high school, my school offered all students a week off of classes to participate in studio art classes such as drawing, painting, dancing, illustration, and photography. Because of the rise of Instagram, most students chose to study photography.
My friends and I decided to try it out, and I was instantly intrigued by what I was learning, but for some reason, I already felt like I knew it. For most, the class was a place to take photos for their social media page, but for me, it was a place where I could practice a craft that I never knew I had. Learning about cameras was great, but already having a keen eye for detail and a natural feeling for framing let me know that this was much more than social media for me.
knew that this was something I was called to do.
My love for photography slowly but surely turned into film as I became obsessed with making that one moment within a photo last on-screen forever. I began to document myself, my friends, and what we were doing every day, editing the footage and hosting watch parties with my loved ones so that we could relive the memories. The best part about it all was not only the joy that it brought me but the way it made me feel. It felt like I was meant to do this.
I realize now that I was not only creating memories, but I was creating meaningful art that meant something to a lot of different people. This is what brings me joy.