I am where I should be.
Photo credit (L-R): Sasha Manuel, Jal Manuela, Abe Olandres
From that moment I held a camera in my hands back in 2005 and saw the photos I took, I was hooked. It stirred an unimaginable fiery passion that I didn’t know existed. I just knew I wanted to keep doing it. I didn’t own a camera back then. I only borrowed from friends or family. I fiddled with its settings, took photos at crazy angles, learned how to use Photoshop all on my own. I struggled, stayed up late, and kept at it till I thought I was going to get sick of it. I also browsed the web and looked at photos by other photographers. Then I had dreamed of buying a camera of my own so I get to the bigger dream — photography.
And I eventually did. I bought my very first camera two years later, February 2007. It was a realisation of one dream, taking me several steps closer to the other. The bigger dream was now within my grasp, literally.
I have to admit that during the early stages, I was struggling with handling a complex equipment. I already knew what sort of photographs I want to take but I didn’t know how to use my DSLR. I had often wondered if I had taken on more than I am able to. I was close to giving it up altogether but someone simply told me, “don’t rush it, you’ll get there”. That’s why I kept at it. I didn’t give up. And I’m glad.
Learning photography has become a source of happiness. With every small thing that I achieve — discovering a new technique, capturing a good photo, learning terms and such — gives me a certain high that no other thing in this world could ever give. It’s priceless.
Photography has allowed me to create, to express, and to remember. Seemingly like how writing is to me. These two have become mediums for me to communicate and process the things that my senses pick up about life.
SashaManuel.com is a photo journal. It’s a place where I keep photographs and prose. I mean to talk about my journey in life through photography. It’s my way of celebrating this life from where I stand. I am where I should be. Here. Now.
Here are the first few posts I have up:
Hello world!
Life is Sweet
Inside, Outside
Under the Peach Light
The Ring That Binds
Starting Over
It’s the Journey
Light & Colour
Fascination, curiosity and the perennial need to see and remember the art in life.
Never fully understood why there’s this burning need to be creative. Discovering mediums like words and digital photography have made satisfying it easy. Writing sets my mind free and photography lets my soul breathe. It’s amazing.
If you’ve reached the point that you’d rather be behind the camera than be the subject of the photograph then you’ll know it’s the right time.
Every photo defines me. ‘Tis like leaving traces of who I am. They’ve become proofs of my existence. Photography is my way of encapsulating life in all its glory, sharing it with the rest of the world.
That’s why I’m here. That’s why this photo journal exists.
This is life the way I know it.
Life in stills and words.
[Photographer's Reflection, 5th July 2008, SashaManuel.com]
Yes. I’m a photographer simply because I take photographs and love everything about it.
I’m quite excited about the photo journal. I’m looking forward to seeing it grow. I hope you can visit me there from time to time. Feel free to subscribe to the SashaManuel.com Feed or via Email. I’d love to hear your thoughts too, so, do say hello.
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