2013
First Steps
Discipline begins quietly.
I was six when ballet first taught me that progress could be almost invisible. A position repeated at the barre did not feel important—until one day it felt natural.
Personal journey / 2012—2026
Becoming, one experience at a time.
Creativity, movement, observation, and community have gradually shaped how I understand myself—and how I meet the world.
Explore my journey
A note on becoming
“I used to think my interests were separate. Ballet was movement. Photography was observation. Volunteering was service. Over time, I realized they were all teaching me how to pay attention.”
Each experience asked me to notice a little more: the angle of a shoulder, the light between buildings, the person beside me. Together, they became a way of understanding who I am becoming.
01 / The long view
My Journey
The moments that shaped how I see the world—not a list of milestones, but a record of what each one left with me.
2017
Learning to Perform
Confidence can include nerves.
Backstage, my hands still shook. Onstage, I learned to move through that feeling instead of waiting for it to disappear. Confidence was not certainty; it was choosing to begin.
2020
Learning to See
Observation becomes a practice.
I began photographing the things I used to pass: window reflections, a hand in motion, shadows on the sidewalk. A camera made the everyday feel worth a second look.
“The photograph was rarely the point. Paying attention was.”
2022
In Front of the Camera
Expression is collaborative.
A small commercial shoot showed me how many people shape one frame. Being photographed changed how I direct from behind the lens: I notice trust, timing, and the courage it takes to be seen.
2024
Showing Up for Others
Empathy asks us to participate.
Volunteering stopped feeling like a separate activity and became part of how I wanted to spend my time. I learned to arrive ready to listen, take a small job seriously, and be useful without needing attention.
2026
Finding My Own Voice
Many small experiences become a self.
Photography taught observation. Ballet taught discipline. Being filmed taught expression. Community taught empathy. None defines me alone; together, they give me a direction.
02 / Photography
The Way I See
Photography taught me to pay attention—to light, distance, and the stories already unfolding.
Select a photograph to view it larger.
Movement / Ballet
Learning Through Movement
Ballet taught me that improvement is built through repetition. The same movement can be practiced hundreds of times, yet there is always another detail to notice: a softened hand, a stronger center, a breath at the right moment.
I once thought repetition meant doing the same thing. Now I see it as a way of looking more closely.
- Discipline
- Patience
- Expression
04 / Moving image
Stories in Motion
Moving images hold something a still frame cannot: rhythm, collaboration, and the feeling of being fully present inside a moment.
Temporary demo: The Royal Ballet Full Class · Royal Ballet and Opera
Expression / Collaboration / Presence
05 / Another perspective
In Front of the Camera
The set was full of tiny decisions: where to look, when to move, how to respond to another person's idea. I was not trying to become a model. I was learning how visual stories are made together.
For the first time, I understood the vulnerability on the other side of my own camera. That awareness made me a more thoughtful photographer—and more comfortable expressing something without explaining it.
Study in stillness · 2022
06 / Community
Showing Up
The most meaningful part is rarely the task itself. It is the people beside you, and what you learn by listening.
A place in the line
I started by sorting cans, then learned how much care happens before a bag reaches someone. The work felt ordinary and important at the same time—a reminder that showing up consistently matters.
Making room to create
Helping younger children paint meant resisting the urge to fix things for them. My favorite moments came when I asked a question, stepped back, and watched an unexpected idea appear.
Many hands, one welcome
I helped with setup, directions, and photographs. Moving between those roles showed me that belonging is built through dozens of small gestures—signs placed clearly, stories remembered, newcomers greeted.
07 / The through line
What Connects It All
01
Observation
Photography taught me to notice.
02
Expression
Performance taught me to communicate beyond words.
03
Discipline
Ballet taught me how progress is built.
04
Empathy
Community taught me to look beyond myself.
08 / Looking forward
Still Becoming
I am still curious about how images make us feel, how movement changes what we notice, and how stories can connect people who begin in different places.
I want to keep exploring—with a camera, through movement, beside other people, and in directions I cannot name yet.
“I don't know exactly where every interest will lead. That's what makes the next chapter exciting.”
Maya