People often talk about the Japanese cherry blossom trees as being elegant and awe-inspiring, and they are featured in many pieces of media from around the world. However, I was not able to really comprehend the true beauty of them until I visited myself, and was lucky enough to see the flowers myself in full bloom. I was reminded of the importance of travel, and that even experiences documented online can’t compare to the wonder of seeing the real thing.

Street photography is probably my favorite form of photography. I love how candid and real each photo feels, so personal even though it’s someone you’ve never met. I love the thrill of it-taking pictures of people without permission or preparation is both controversial and anxiety-inducing, but for me, it’s part of the thing that makes this medium so special. Most importantly, however, is the ability to tell the story of a complete stranger, and to capture a part of their life that would otherwise be hidden to the world.

I took this photo during a street photography session. I thought this one represented aging well because of the hurriedness of the background, but focus of the subject. His attire suggests he’s going somewhere important, like work or an event, and he is looking straight forward, intent on going to where he needs to be. This photo reminds me of the repetitive, yet hurried nature of life, and how things can fly by so quickly without us realizing, especially when in a repetitive, dulling routine.

In this piece, I use my shadow to represent a way I wish to be seen externally-nonchalant, normal, and cool. I want to be seen as someone who can be identified as interesting just by their silhouette. However, this moment was fleeting, and after this photo was taken, I returned to the identity that I’m known as–different, awkward, and someone who just can’t quite fit in.

I took this photo on my birthday. In it, the circular patterns represent the flow of time, and create a nice composition that centers on the bird. To me, the circles also represent nests-this bird, despite being grown, sits in a nest-like shape-though it’s obviously not the nest it grew in, and it will not stay there very long. To me, this represents my experience in life in school-I’m constantly changing, graduating through the years, and I have not yet reached a point where life has become stagnant. In this way, I’m always finding “new beginnings”–meeting new people, finding new homes, and slowly forging an identity to one day reach a constant, steady path.

I’d originally gone up to the roof of a friend’s apartment to see the parrots. There’s a famous parrot colony in San Francisco, and you can hear them from miles away, squawking. We saw them out the window and decided to climb the stairs to see if we could catch them, but unfortunately, by the time we got up, they’d moved on to their next target to search for food. Instead, I got to watch a beautiful San Fransisco sunset, and I did see the parrots from a distance, so it wasn’t all bad.

This Faceless Self Portrait represents a key aspect of my life–my identity as an artist. While my art is often done digitally, I find that traditional painting forces me to slow down, watch each brush stroke with precision and caution, and feel more connected to my completed work.