Senior Zac Richards is left-handed.

While this small detail may seem insignificant, it actually represents him well. Scientifically, it has been proven that left-handed people are generally more artistic and creative than their right-handed counterparts; Zac is no exception to this fact.

He became enticed by the enjoyment that artistic outlets offered him early on in life and has already found his passion in life: photography.

The flow and click of the camera have always come naturally for him, as he has been surrounded by cinematic elements for most of his life.

“My parents always sort of followed me around with a camera,” Zac said, “and I guess I just fell in love with cameras from an early age.”

The positive and intriguing presence of cameras that Zac’s parents created made him appreciate the art of photography, and he is extremely thankful that his interest pushed him to attempt taking his own photos.

After his first few experiences, Zac’s small fascination quickly turned into much more. Once he saw the beauty that he was able to produce through photography, he became more fixated on it. His curious young self continued to explore the world of photography in attempts to better understand it.

“I would run around the house with a tape recorder,” Zac said, “and then, I bought my first camera when I was [about] ten. It was the greatest thing ever for me; I took pictures of literally everything. I just developed an eye for it.”

By the way Zac humbly describes it, having “an eye” for photography seems easy. However, it’s not a skill that can be taught. Deciding what can produce a good photograph is not a simple task. Zac’s creative intuition guides him to take a lasting, impactful shot.

“[When] I really look around a room,” Zac said, “ [it’s] the thing that has the biggest impact on me or something that makes me feel a certain way that usually ends up being the subject.”

Zac wasn’t always proficient at choosing good subjects for photos, and he acknowledges that his improvement is one of the things that he is most proud of in regards to photography.

His beginning photos weren’t his best work, but he continued to take pictures and develop his skill because he really enjoyed it. Once his efforts started paying off, he knew that photography would become more to him than just a hobby.

“[One time] I was walking down the street in my neighborhood,” Zac said, “and I was standing right in the middle of the road. It was raining outside, and I just kind of picked up my camera and took a picture down the street. I looked at that picture, and it was the best picture I’d ever taken. At that point, I kind of decided I really wanted to do [photography] for the rest of my life.”

Zac isn’t sure how he will incorporate photography into his future, but he has an idea.  He feels that his abilities are best improved through experience and practice in the field. This is why Zac is choosing to avoid art school; his skills are better developed through practice. He thinks that spending time on his own with his passion will be more beneficial for his future.

His creativity allows him to teach himself how to use different skills in most of the activities that he does.

“I’m mostly self-taught for almost everything I do,” Zac said. “It’s the way I’ve always learned; I like to learn on my own and figure it out [for myself].”

Zac has never taken a photography class in his life. He feels that his self-taught approach to photography has not limited his potential—but rather expanded it.

“Right now I’m just kind of growing my portfolio to get jobs [in the photography industry],” Zac said, “but [because I have limited time], I mostly just take pictures for fun. I definitely want to pursue a career in photography.”

Zac is excited for his future in photography, and he knows that no matter what, he will continue to pursue it. In the end, he has found his passion in life, and the fact that he can effectively express his feelings through photography is priceless to him.

“I feel like I have found something that I really want to do,” Zac said. “Obviously figuring out what you want to do in life is really hard. [Photography] helps [me] with putting my emotions out there, and I can portray how I feel through a photo.”