When I enrolled in photo school it wasn't because I had spent my entire life loving the camera, I didn't even own a camera of my own. I enjoyed looking at pictures. I am nostalgic and anything from the past gets me excited, (even if it was yesterday) but I never dreamed of being a photographer. I enrolled in photo school because I knew I was an artist, I had a deep appreciation for the world around me and I needed a way to express myself. I had the urge to do something creative. I made collages and attempted to draw, but nothing satisfied that urge until I picked up a camera. So on a whim I enrolled myself in art school and a photographer I became.
One of the qualities I have grown to really appreciate and love about photography is the ability it has to take you soaring through the past, triggering old feelings and thoughts. When I look at this image I can still feel the excitement I felt as I clicked the shutter. I can see myself slowly moving around studying every little detail of this bus. I only had 36 frames and I wanted each one to be spectacular. I can feel the fear I had when I stepped into the dark closet we used to roll our film onto reels, I was concentrating so hard my hands were shaking. I can smell the scent fixer as I stepped into the red light of the darkroom. I watched the hands of the timer slowly spinning around while I impatiently waited to see my masterpiece come to life in a tray of developer.
It still amazes me that so many emotions and memories can be conjured up by simply looking a picture. I am proud of the life I have chosen for myself!
I still have a couple of spots open for my Boudoir marathon January 23rd. It's going to be so much fun! Each session includes one of these little black books with 10 images printed on beautiful metallic paper. I love the packaging I found for Valentine's Day. Feel free to contact me for more details. nikita@nikitagross.com
