When I picked up a camera in the tenth grade, it felt like a natural extension of myself. I’ve always felt comfortable observing on the sidelines—my journalism professor’s end-of-camp analysis read, “Elysia’s an observer. While not always the center of attention, she uses her observations to provide insights others may not have realized.”

Photography was simply another avenue through which I could present my insights, another lens I could use to analyze my surroundings. The different ways I could frame a shot mirrored the ways I observed the world around me. I could choose a wide angle, examining connections on a macro level, or switch to a telephoto to observe one aspect or person individually. With a wide aperture, I fade out the surroundings, studying only the single object of my focus; with a narrow one, I holistically view the scene in front of me, keeping everything in sharp definition and relating all parts of the picture to each other.

I quickly fell in love with the art—it was an …show more content…
Contrary to what I had previously believed, leadership does not mean simply having the loudest voice. While communication is important, leadership means making the right decisions at the right times and using the context of the situation to make the best choice. As a leader, I still maintain an external view—from my perspective overseeing the group, whether as editor-in-chief, section leader, varsity captain, or president of my community service organization, I have the widest vision of the connections within the frame and the impacts of decisions in the bigger picture of society as a whole. Although leaders may seem to be the face of an organization, leaders often act as observers when working within the organization itself, listening to their team, noticing inefficiencies and conflicts, and gathering information both within and outside the