Travel nominee

Captured on a summer afternoon in Yosemite National Park, California, and shot on Kodak Golden 200 film, this photograph is teeming with intriguing and playful details. A closer look at each individual and their placement reveals a charming story in motion. On the riverbank, a little boy on the bridge accidentally dropped his shoe into the water, his panicked cries echoing as he called for help. Downstream on the sandy shore, a man—captured at the center of the frame—hurriedly ran to retrieve the drifting shoe. This singular moment perfectly documents the act of returning the lost shoe to its owner. While some onlookers continued with their own activities, others couldn’t help but be drawn into the whimsical adventure of the wayward shoe. It is precisely these small, unexpected stories that infuse travel with a sense of mystery and delight.

I live in California and have a background in both art and engineering. Currently, I work as a software engineer, but photography has become a passion that allows me to express my creative side.

With a foundation in art, I have always enjoyed creative activities, and I see photography as a powerful form of self-expression. It serves as a form of phototherapy, offering me an outlet to explore and communicate my artistic perspective.

In my engineering work, my creative side often takes a backseat, so I’m grateful to have found photography as a way to reconnect with it. I firmly believe that photography reflects the creator’s vision, and I’m excited for others to get to know this artistic side of me through my work.