Hi, my name is Julie Y, I use She/Her pronouns and I'm a part of the CCC Youth in Focus.

Photography is what drew me to Youth in Focus! I enjoy photography and consider it to be one of my favorite hobbies. This opportunity allowed us to use a camera to shoot images while being taught by expert photographers, which prompted me to enroll in this session since I wanted to learn.

Lightroom and making a banner were two of the techniques I did this quarter. It wasn't easy, to be honest. What was challenging to me was not getting used to the tools of editing but I received a lot of help from Dene and a few of my peers, which was fantastic. It motivated me to keep going and learned the comparison of different exposure while adjusting the editing tool.

I've been separating myself from the natural environment lately, so I decided to take a self-portrait in this lovely setting. I also learned that spending time in nature is beneficial to one's mental health. It improved my concentration and calmness as I was working on my final school projects with my siblings. I adore how beautiful my backyard is, so I'd like to photograph myself in it.

For my final images, I chose the beach landscape and the sunset. I truly love going to the beach as you can tell. When observing the seashore at a distance, listening to the sound of the waves, and feeling the cool breeze is a feeling of satisfaction and peace every time. This is why I chose these two images as my final.

My goals for myself after I leave Youth in Focus are to take more pictures and express my thoughts, creativity, and ideas. I want to maintain those goals throughout my entire life because it has impacted me positivity throughout the day.  

I discovered that I may be confident in sharing my ideas and expressing my thoughts as a result of taking this program. I tend to keep my feelings and opinions to myself, and this class has pushed me out of my comfort zone due to their comfort and encouragement. I also learned how to prepare for job interviews, and the youth in focus and the Evo team gave me such positive, and great feedback I'll learn from.

I am grateful for the support of my family and friends throughout my life, as well as this opportunity to share and express my creativity. Everyone here is optimistic and trustworthy, and I'm grateful to be a part of Youth In Focus.