On March 10 I assisted fellow staff writer for Scot Scoop, Nisha Marino as a photographer at the Foster City Holi Festival.
Prior to the festivities, I spent hours preparing my camera as I knew that the colored powder that is thrown can severely damage a camera. In addition to the risk of damaging my camera from the powder, the weather report also predicted a chance of rain. However my determination led me to attend the festival anyway.
Once I arrived, I immediately realized that photographing this event would be most challenging yet.
My original plan was to keep as much as a distance as possible from the festival goers, but as the powder becan to cloud up the air around us I decided to take yet another risk and move closer.
Soon after, I realized that taking that risk was the best decision I made in my year as a journalist.
Being closer towards the action, I was able to see and feel the love and joy surrounding me as parents and siblings smeared color across their faces and children chased each other throughout the event.
As I searched through the crowds I found myself witnessing precious moments such as the one shown above. Though at the time, I could not tell if my camera was in focus or if the lighting was too dark, as soon as I say the smile on the mothers face I knew that even if the photo composition my not be ideal, the quality of the photo would be unforgettable for me as it captured a moment so beautiful yet simple at the same time.
As I became more comfortable, I decided to challenge myself as a photographer and work on my techniques in several action shots.
Though the shots I took up close were the most terrifying for me at first, once I came home and began editing the photos I was shocked by how beautiful they turned out immediately overwhelmed with pride.
In the days following the publication of this article, I received an overwhelming amount of praise from my fellow staff writers at ScotScoop, my by journalism adviser, and most of all my sister who I greatly admire as a photographer.
Just a few months later, the photo of the two boys chasing each-other won me the highest title for first-year photo in the JEA/NSPA national journalism competition.
To read the full article by Nisha Marino and learn more about my photos click here