Art school is often described as a place of expansion, a container for experimentation, risk, and growth. A space where you develop a voice before you’re asked to professionalize it. In practice, the container feels tight. What I’m experiencing in my photo program isn’t a lack of rigor: it’s a structural contradiction. The program asks for creative expansion while organizing…
In the Company of Others This season has been about engagement—deep, continuous, sometimes exhausting. Through different roles and collaborations, I’ve found myself woven into communities both intimate and expansive: my peers at university, the wider arts world in Toronto, and the quieter pockets in between. For years I longed for belonging, believing I would find it through proximity—by showing up,…
Reflections on Landscapes of Identity There’s a persistent tension I’ve lived with — between the impulse to preserve my privacy and the call to make myself visible. As someone who finds depth in introspection and meaning in quiet observation, I’ve often chosen to remain in the background, crafting stories from the margins. But as an artist — particularly one whose…
Navigating the Arts School Experience Navigating the vibrant yet challenging environment of an arts school requires more than just artistic talent; it demands resilience, strategic thinking, and an openness to evolving relationships. As I’ve progressed from my first semester into my second term, these challenges have become deeply personal experiences. Whether you’re immersed in arts education or are navigating the…
The best camera is the one you have with you.– UNKNOWN – As a photographer, I’ve always believed in the importance of having the right gear to capture the world around me. Over the years, I’ve carefully curated my camera equipment, knowing that the quality of my gear influences the images I produce. However, during a recent trip to California…
A New Chapter in Photography Media Arts This week, I step into a new chapter of my creative journey as a Photography Media Arts student at Toronto Metropolitan University. As this moment approaches, I reflect on the encounters and revelations that have transformed a simple curiosity into a deep-seated passion. Photography has been more than a means to capture the…
I’ve always been fascinated by the magic of photography—the way a single frame can capture a moment in time, evoke emotions, and tell a story. Yet, despite my love for the art, it took me years to embrace the world of analogue photography. For someone who has spent much of their life immersed in digital photography, stepping into the analogue…
Over the span of several weeks, I’ve been scrutinizing my entire body of work spanning the last ten years. It feels especially surreal looking at my work from my earliest days, as I rarely have the opportunity to do so. Over the years, whenever I’ve had the chance to revisit these images, my thoughts, feelings, and reflections change. As more…
I’ve crossed the threshold of capturing human experiences through a lens for ten years. As a primer, allow me to share a few facts and some lessons I learned at the beginning of my journey. Lessons Learned in my First Photographic Year Reflections Reflecting on this journey, I continue to have mixed feelings about what it has looked like and…
I’m a few weeks into re-familiarizing myself with image-making, and it feels like falling in love with photography for the first time. As I reacquaint myself, I am acutely aware of how at ease I am, marveling at the mysterious workings of my own technical and creative muscle memory. At this stage of my creative journey, I expect that finding…
