Page 10 of Smile for the Camera

I crane my camera out of its bag. As I take several steps back, grey carpet fuzzes against the bottom of my feet. I angle my camera to my desk and window and peek through the viewfinder. My lens locks everything in focus. One press down on the button and click. A smile spreads.

I take a photo of the YA Fantasy books lined across my bookshelves.

Click.

Finally, I open up my aperture, then raise my camera to my bed and photographs.

Click.

With each photo taken, the corners of my mouth lift higher and higher. A surge of happiness courses through me. This world I’ve captured through my lens is a secret between me and my camera. I take that secret to my laptop and upload the last photo I took to Photoshop, watching the colors and details change as I fiddle around with the settings.

Just do bio, my dad’s voice echoes.

If I told my parents how crushed I felt hearing that, they’d swat away my feelings like they were a swarm of moths flying near their eyes. My dad would say I’m being too sensitive. My mom would say they’re just looking out for me. The frown on my face wilts lower, and the crack splitting my heart deepens.

If I can’t tell my parents how I feel, that can be another secret between me and the photo I uploaded to Photoshop. I adjust the colors of my blanket and pillow, the blues cooling to the same shade as a lake beneath a cloudy sky in winter. That’s another thing I love about photography. Whatever feelings, whatever emotions I’m too scared to express, I can channel them in whatever I capture through my lens. Adjusting my settings or colors to accentuate the things that are too big to stay in my mind but too scary to say out loud. Once I finish editing, I study the final product, all cool and blue colors. The crack in my heart begins to mend.

Just do bio, my dad’s words echo again.

My eyes drift to the We Need More Jimmy sign-up sheet, and I start reading the history and guidelines at a faster rate than I did my bio textbook.

Jimmy Jansen inspired youths everywhere when he took photographs of his beautiful Pismo Beach home. His collection showcased his family and friends posing alongside his favorite places, showing the world what made him and his hometown special. Teens felt like they knew Jimmy just by looking at his photographs.

Impressive. He could work with landscape and people. I work best with objects and landscapes as my main subjects.

Students ages 15-18 get the opportunity to submit a portfolio that showcases all the special places in their hometown. Participants will present a photo based on the theme of the week. Judges select winners based off how well the photographers capture their hometowns along with the people who are a part of it. They are looking for images that motivate them to visit that particular city or town and, most importantly, let them know who the photographer really is. Through their portfolios, photographers are expected to capture different visions of their hometown through a variety of images. Jansen School of Arts wants photographers who are not only creative but distinctive.

This competition sounds fun, but I gulp just thinking about presenting. The whole coffee shop will be filled with strangers, and I’ll have to speak in front of them. Besides, how can I work on my photographs or presentations when I have a bunch of summer AP homework, volunteer work, and an SAT prep class? Despite these thoughts, I continue reading down.

Why Apply:

1st place receives a full-ride scholarship to Jansen School of Arts, $3000 cash prize, and photos displayed on the official Blossoms website.

2nd place receives $2000 cash prize, and photos displayed on the official Blossoms website.

3rd place receives $1000 cash prize.

Even though I already heard this information from Ms. Choi, I still put my hand over my mouth, not believing that this opportunity is here for me.

Lalaine Bautista is a Filipina photographer known for her landscape photography. She travels all around the world, taking photos of beautiful scenery such as the El Nido beaches in the Philippines, and the Lulworth Cove in England. Lalaine Bautista edits her images in ways that highlight even the smallest details. One look at her photos and it feels like you’re there. Like her, I’ve always wanted to show what makes each place special, accentuating their details and capturing them in a single photograph.

Guidelines:

The competition lasts for 5 weeks.

Each photographer must take a photograph based off the week’s theme.

Photographs can be a mix of anything: still-life, landscape, portrait, etc.

Participants must present their photos every Saturday at 3:00 PM.

Presentations must be no longer than 4 minutes.

Failure to do so will result in deducted points to your overall score.

Participants must check in with their photographs at 2:45 PM every Saturday.

Failure to do so will result in automatic disqualification.