Taking a Step Back: Cherishing What Others Overlook
Personal Story & Photography by Mariah E.
Ever since I can remember, photography has always had a special place in my heart. There was one time when I was on the school playground, 9 years old, and I ran to my teacher and anxiously said “Oh my gosh Ms. Edwards can I please have your phone, the view is so pretty and I need to take a picture of it”. Completely understanding, she immediately gave her phone to me and let me take the photo. When I handed the phone back to her, she seemed completely in awe of the photo and kept complimenting it. She even emailed it to my parents and said “Just wanted to share this amazing photo with you that your daughter took earlier today!” Whether she was exaggerating her likeness for the photo or not, it didn’t matter to my 9 year old self. She genuinely made me believe that I was the world's best photographer.
A couple years later I was watching a movie with this scene where a girl in her mid 20s was taking photos at her friends' event and she would walk to someone, take a picture of them really quickly, and say “Candid!” Then she would walk to someone else, quickly snap a photo of them, and again say “Candid!”. I was so incredibly confused by what she was doing and so I asked my sister what candid meant. “Ohhhhh” was my intrigued response to her explanation. Little did I know that that moment right there would spark the love I have for candid photography now.
Today, what I love most about candid shots is their ability to capture someone/something as their authentic self. Another type of photography style that I found out about a couple of months ago, was documentary photography. “a style of photography that provides a straightforward and accurate representation of people, places, objects and events”. Both of these allow for no forced smiles, poses, etc. In a world full of those, it’s grounding for me to know there is beauty in things without filters. The time when I was 9, in the middle of playing at recess just had to capture the moment that was sitting in front of me, was one of the first times I saw beauty with no filter.
Photography has helped me with my mental issues by reminding me of the simpler, less meaningful/overwhelming things in life. While I am not officially diagnosed, I have many symptoms of anxiety, a couple years ago depression, and the occasional “seasonal depression”. Which I think is something most teens can relate to. Photography helps me find the little things to enjoy in life. To “take a step back, and admire the moment around you”. Having this mindset helps me come back to reality and take my mind away from the stress or sadness I may be feeling.
