Cultural Photography Personal Statement

In my life, I would most like to become a cultural photographer. That entails documenting people and societies within our current world, while particularly focusing on those who are overlooked. To me, photography is about encouraging and empowering those within my lens; cohesively capturing everything they are and everything they want to be. This enables me to move people with my photographs. When a person’s true struggle is shown through an image, it allows others to deeply empathize with that person. This has a lasting impact on both the viewer and the subject, for the viewer could feel a pull to help those in the picture. Photography has the ability to shape ideas and invert opinions. Photographers such as Dorothea Lange have achieved this by photographing the lower class and showcasing how sad their

There, I will pursue a degree in social sciences with a minor in photography. By combining a background in cultural understanding and photographical technique, I will be able to justly document and photograph those whom I will encounter within my career. I believe I should be considered for this scholarship because of my hard work and community involvement. I have been working since I was nine years old, raising cattle and selling them at the community fair. Between now and then I was also mowing lawns in seventh through ninth grade. I found ways to make an income when I was too young to get a job, and once I did get a job I was given the position of manager. In alliance with my hard work, I am also highly involved in my community. I am on the youth worship team at Sullivan First Assembly of God, and a sunday school teacher at The Rock Church. I have been on several mission trips that are focused on service work and showing love to others. Outside of church, I also participate in my local 4-H Club and have been a member for 9 years, some of which I have served as vice president of the