Who am I ?

March 31, 2023

Dylan

This is the story of who I am as a photographer and what motivates me.

Personal

Who am I?

My name is Dylan Rotich and I'm a Web Developer, Street Photographer, Music Producer, and learning enthusiast.

How I started

In high school, I used my mom's Nikon D3100 to shoot a short film for a class project. At the time I had no idea what I was doing so I did what anybody does and watched tutorials for hours on YouTube. At first, I was only into filmmaking. I loved everything about it from the storyboarding to the directing, filming, and editing. After High School, I would hang on to that camera but never use it.

Introduction to Photography

While at the University of California Santa Cruz, I would eventually enroll in "Introduction to Photography." Being that Santa Cruz is well known for the Arts I thought I'd take a fun and easy class to lighten the stress of college. In this class, I learned about the history, and anatomy of cameras and how to operate them manually.

It was very empowering to shoot in manual. I had never considered myself a photographer before that point but I definitely felt the part after. Gaining practical knowledge only increased my interest in photography. Everything became intentional. The composition, ISO, Shutter Speed, Lens, Depth of Field, Aperture, and lighting became my obsession.

From my final project for "Introduction to Photography" class:

The Art of Photography

Learning the technical aspects of SLR and Digital SLR cameras was only the tip of the Iceberg. I learned to appreciate photography as a form of art. That photography class made it very clear that there was much more to photography than just taking a picture. I learned about the various styles of photography and their applications. What resonated the most with me is Street Photography.

I love the complexity and variety of stories you can tell by shooting street photography. It's not just about taking aesthetically pleasing photos. You never know what you're going to see on any given day. Sreet photography reveals the nature of humans despite the unnatural urban landscape.

For now, I simply shoot for the enjoyment and memories, but soon I will create my own narrative

Motivation

No matter what I create, whether music, web applications, mobile applications, short films, or photographs, I always have a vision. Unfortunately, it's been nearly impossible to perfectly translate my ideas into end results. But the more you practice the closer you get. My goal with everything I do is to get closer and closer to the ideas I generate in my mind. To always move forward, problem-solve, and improve to be proud of my work.