Photography - Marguerite Bysshe

There's no better feeling than releasing the shutter and knowing you just captured a great photo. Capturing a moment of time that no one else got to experience. Your heart rate speeds up and a wave of calmness seems to wash through you, leaving behind a trail of goosebumps. The image lingers in your mind for a minute or two, the perfect framing, impeccable lighting and coloring taunting you and begging you to start editing right then and there.

The most amazing and yet most terrifying moment of my life was when I locked eyes with a stranger through my viewfinder. In that moment, his dark, intense eyes told me that I shouldn't be photographing him. Like taking his picture was a crime or some kind of sin. It sent a shiver up my spine and my stomach dropped heavily. There's no better way to really see someone than through a layer of glass.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but really, I think a picture is worth a thousand feelings. Emotions that rush to the front of our brains and pull our hearts in different directions. A picture can be worth a thousand memories for some and a thousand possibilities for others. They can be inspiring or heartbreaking, but all good photographs conjure up emotion.

Being a photographer is such a big part of who I am. I'm blessed enough to have a talented eye and am able to capture shots that many people would otherwise overlook. I'm able to use my craft to connect with people on a much deeper level and help them to see themselves in the way that I see them. It also helps me appreciate the world around me and to really notice the beauty in nature and the beauty in mankind. It pushes me to focus on the big picture while still appreciating all the little things. A hobby to some, photography really is my escape and the place where I always end up growing the most.