In a way, I am lucky to have a critic, a mentor—or simply a teacher.
Our relationship was quite rocky at the very beginning, but over time, a deep sense of trust developed between us.
He taught me to see monochrome images through a different lens. Does this photograph carry a distinct mood? What story are the contrast and light telling?
Ultimately, finding your voice isn't about inventing a completely new way of shooting that has never been seen before. It’s about stripping away the noise and the expectations of what a "good" photo should look like, until you are left with how you uniquely see the world.
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My critic often says, a photographer without a voice documents reality. A photographer with a voice translates it.
Learning to translate reality into a feeling is a long, obstacle-filled journey—but it is the only one worth taking.
Generally, life is good.
