I am a visual learner and have been drawn to composition and creating an image through photography and video for as long as I can remember.  My early exposure was through creating home movies with my younger sister on Sunday afternoons and sending the creations to our older sister away at University.  In High School, I spent most of my free time in the dark room experimenting with special effects and mixed media.  It was here that I also tried video editing for the first time and became instantly fascinated and hooked to the process and end product of organizing images to tell a story.

I remember studying Photographers and particularly Diane Arbus who was considered a “seeker” not a “shaper.”  I also identify with the label of seeker as I often don’t work with a blank canvas and feel somehow unauthentic or fake about creating a set.  I feel most creative when I approach real people and real life events or found objects .  I enjoy challenging myself to perceive the situation with an interesting and fresh angle or perspective.  I was also greatly inspired by Arbus’ interest in the “outcasts” or misunderstood individuals in her society.  She treated them with kindness and developed genuine friendships with her subjects and revealed herself to them which made them more comfortable to invite her into their world.

I greatly enjoy meeting new people,  making a connection, and hearing their unique life stories.  I believe that everyone has a right to dignity, love and acceptance. I have a strong drive to help people and have an interest in mental health, human rights, and theology.

While studying Film at Humber College I discovered how much I enjoy the process of documentary filmmaking.  I have a passion for storytelling and investigating topics that are not mainstream and finding the right subjects to reveal a world that is little known or misunderstood.  I feel that film, and documentary in particular, is a very powerful medium to engage audiences.  Visually sharing a personal story creates awareness, humanizes a topic, makes it relatable, challenges previous views, and has the opportunity to create positive change.