By Gabrielle Granillo

Photographers are given a special gift from the moment they start their practice. It is a transformative power, giving viewers the ability to see the past in the present moment. It is the ability to experience the joy as the photographer once did.

There is an unspoken gratitude I have for photographers; they are dually focused on being in the moment, while also trying to capture quality media–it toes the line between immersion and distraction. 

This is something I find to be really fascinating, because once you’re in that mindset, everything has a 4:3 border. You have layers of vignettes waiting to be applied in your eye line. Every fleeting moment is a chance to capture a unique point of view, one that can never be replicated or reenacted.

Truthfully, the best photographs I’ve ever taken have been the ones where I didn’t have my camera, just using my eyes. 

Photography as a tactile form

Photography is unique in its ability to materialize senses, textures, and scents in a still frame; it makes time malleable.

An individual can see all four seasons of a year in four seconds. What photographers live through is vastly different compared to that of the viewer. In this way, their art is timeless and conveys familiar feelings that words cannot do justice to. 

I believe color and texture play a large role in the quality of a photograph. To some individuals, filters and obvious editing might be boring or it can be overdone for another. Vibrant or muted colors, brick streets, or graffiti alleys all contribute to a photographer’s holistic appreciation of the human touch. Between man made buildings or homes, our world is contrasted with blossoming flowers and undiscovered wood. 

A dance between moments: My approach to photography

I find myself in a position where my photography is not precise nor poised.

The majority of my work is 1 of 1. Some photographers possess the capability to have endless patience. However, I can say with certainty in the moments where I do have patience, I overanalyze the photos on my camera, am quick to delete, reshoot, and am more than likely unhappy with the final product. If I’m not quick to shoot, I fear I might lose the shot.

I err on the side of preferring to photograph without hesitation or caution.

I like photography as a way to show others the world through my eyes. I think the way someone is able to capture their surroundings, regardless of if they’re an amateur or professional, is says a lot about their character and what they deem valuable as a contributing member of a finite world. 

We as an artistic community have the ability and the passion to capture moments presently–the enriching and the elusive–so that those after us, and beside us, may marvel at the world from their bed, from their phone, or from their wall. 

We are never done telling stories (just done talking, perhaps). Having an eye that can digest the world at large takes training, commitment, curiosity, and above all the joy of being alive.