A Journey Through the Lens of Humanity
“I love people more than anything—more than pets, politics, religion, sport, travel, hobbies, cooking, food, scenic landscapes, or apologetics… and even more than satisfying my own hormonal urges!”
The Root of My Style
Where did I learn photography? This question reminds me of a memory that defines my entire approach.
When I was just five years old, sitting among sixty-odd pupils in a private tuition class, I remember the setting vividly. We were mostly learning by repeating aloud what the teacher was trying to etch into our minds—basic nursery rhymes or simple mathematics. My mother came by to check on my progress and behavior. The only thing I managed to remember from that conversation was my teacher saying:
“If your son finds even one minute of free time, he keeps on observing people.”
That, I believe, is the key to my photography style. As for the passion? That flows from an uncontainable love for people that I feel comes from God—the source, personification, and very definition of love.
The Technical Spark
The story of my technical knowledge is a bit more cryptic. While my family owned a semi-automatic point-and-shoot film camera for holidays, my real taste of “the craft” didn’t happen until about a decade ago.
At a themed house party hosted by a friend, Mr. Isaac, he took a photo of me. I was so impressed by how I looked that I thought, “If only I could get my hands on a DSLR like that, I could have all the photos I want of myself.” (This was just before the selfie trend truly exploded!)
Within a month, I pooled enough money to buy my first Nikon D90. Little did I know then that I would end up taking photos of others compared to myself at a ratio of 10,000 to 1.
Finding My “Eye”
Between the people I photographed at church and the professionals I met at festivals two years later, I began to believe that I truly do “see” people and capture the spirit of an event chronologically. They told me I had “an eye for it.” This came as a massive relief, especially after trying to play the guitar for years only to realize I didn’t have “an ear for it.” If I had to trace my technical know-how back to its source, it began in 8th-grade physics:
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Optics: Concepts of concave and convex lenses, focal points, and light.
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Theory: Amplitude, color combinations, and the mantra: “Light reveals, shadow gives shape.”
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Composition: Rule of thirds, diagonals, leading lines, symmetry, triangles, and minimalism—all learned through the digital archives of Facebook, YouTube, and magazines.
The Psychological Shift
The real evolution of my style occurred during a spiritual and psychological shift. I began reading the Scriptures extensively while working a grueling telemarketing job. I was talking to 200 strangers a day, trying to have sensible conversations despite not believing in the product I was selling. (I made exactly four sales in three months!)
I took that role to transition to a desk job after a severe back injury (L3, L4, L5) sustained while working night shifts at a supermarket. In that season, I discovered the ease and thrill of connecting with strangers.
The Design
All these skills would be for naught without the physical vessel to carry them. I am grateful for the strength to stand tall at 181 cm, the clarity of 20/20 vision, and the stamina to walk for 14 hours straight with double-sling cameras on a recovered back.
The credit goes entirely to the One who designed me this way. He gave me the skills, the resources to travel, a personality to charm, and a sense of purpose to stay motivated.
“I’m grateful to be designed this way!”
~ John
