I may never have been given any of these opportunities if I had not chosen to attend JSerra
In my sophomore year at JSerra, I chose to take Digital Photography. Prior to taking the class, the only experience I had with photography was taking photos with my iPhone. My dad has always been interested in photography and does it as a hobby. For as long as I can remember he was always there taking pictures of me playing hockey and other various sports I played growing up. I was taking this class because it was required by the school to fulfill Art and Elective credits. Little did I know how much this class would mean to me.
At the time, the class was taught by Mrs. Stehney, she created the iconic “Silence of the Lambs” movie poster of Jodie Foster with a moth covering her mouth. That was back before the times of Photoshop and digital photography. It was because of this class that photography will forever be a part of my life.
By taking Digital Photography, it challenged me to take what I learned inside the classroom, whether it was the correct aperture and shutter speed settings or the postproduction process of editing the photos, and how to apply it outside of the classroom. I took various trips to the beach, just my camera and me, and I found a deep attachment to the idea that every time I hear the “click” of the shutter, I freeze that 1/250 of a second forever. I came to realize that there will never be two identical photos, two identical moments in time. With each photo I take there is a memory attached to it, so getting to look back and see them later is one of the closest things we have to time travel.
As I began more and more interested in photography I bought more toys to play with. I would use my GoPro in the water to get action shots of my friends surfing and body boarding. There’s something very special when you get to see yourself, frozen in time, doing something you love. I find solace every time I show my friends the pictures I took of them the previous day. There is nothing like the reactions I get to see when they view the pictures for the first time.
When Salt Creek Beach swallowed up my GoPro, I saw it as a sign to upgrade and buy a Waterproof housing for my DSLR camera. This was the best decision I hade made aside from taking Digital Photography. This housing allowed me to transfer everything I learned in class, and bring it into one of the most peaceful yet dangerous places on the planet; the ocean.
Over the past two years since taking the class, I have created a semi-professional job for myself as a digital photographer. I have done portraits for Sims Law Firm in Irvine, CA as well as photographed the JSerra Varsity Lacrosse team in action. I have had various students book me for Senior Portrait Sessions, as well as personal sessions. I have met countless new people and created some of my best work in and around the water, both when I was hired to do so and in my free time. After all of this I realized I would need to design my own website to publish all of my work in one place and additional promote my business by taking orders for prints as well as requests to book me for a photography session. I have currently sold three canvas prints and have two more orders on the way. I am currently applying for a Surfer Photography Internship this summer with the famed Surfer Magazine based in Carlsbad, CA.
I may never have been given any of these opportunities if I had not chosen to attend JSerra and take the class, Digital Photography. Photography will forever be a part of my life.
You can view all my work at www.ZACHFIEDLER.com as well as order photos for print and book me for a session.
- Zach Fiedler
Zach Fiedler
JSerra Catholic High School - Class of 2016
Varsity Ice Hockey - Captain
[email protected]
At the time, the class was taught by Mrs. Stehney, she created the iconic “Silence of the Lambs” movie poster of Jodie Foster with a moth covering her mouth. That was back before the times of Photoshop and digital photography. It was because of this class that photography will forever be a part of my life.
By taking Digital Photography, it challenged me to take what I learned inside the classroom, whether it was the correct aperture and shutter speed settings or the postproduction process of editing the photos, and how to apply it outside of the classroom. I took various trips to the beach, just my camera and me, and I found a deep attachment to the idea that every time I hear the “click” of the shutter, I freeze that 1/250 of a second forever. I came to realize that there will never be two identical photos, two identical moments in time. With each photo I take there is a memory attached to it, so getting to look back and see them later is one of the closest things we have to time travel.
As I began more and more interested in photography I bought more toys to play with. I would use my GoPro in the water to get action shots of my friends surfing and body boarding. There’s something very special when you get to see yourself, frozen in time, doing something you love. I find solace every time I show my friends the pictures I took of them the previous day. There is nothing like the reactions I get to see when they view the pictures for the first time.
When Salt Creek Beach swallowed up my GoPro, I saw it as a sign to upgrade and buy a Waterproof housing for my DSLR camera. This was the best decision I hade made aside from taking Digital Photography. This housing allowed me to transfer everything I learned in class, and bring it into one of the most peaceful yet dangerous places on the planet; the ocean.
Over the past two years since taking the class, I have created a semi-professional job for myself as a digital photographer. I have done portraits for Sims Law Firm in Irvine, CA as well as photographed the JSerra Varsity Lacrosse team in action. I have had various students book me for Senior Portrait Sessions, as well as personal sessions. I have met countless new people and created some of my best work in and around the water, both when I was hired to do so and in my free time. After all of this I realized I would need to design my own website to publish all of my work in one place and additional promote my business by taking orders for prints as well as requests to book me for a photography session. I have currently sold three canvas prints and have two more orders on the way. I am currently applying for a Surfer Photography Internship this summer with the famed Surfer Magazine based in Carlsbad, CA.
I may never have been given any of these opportunities if I had not chosen to attend JSerra and take the class, Digital Photography. Photography will forever be a part of my life.
You can view all my work at www.ZACHFIEDLER.com as well as order photos for print and book me for a session.
- Zach Fiedler
Zach Fiedler
JSerra Catholic High School - Class of 2016
Varsity Ice Hockey - Captain
[email protected]