Image above: Daniel J. with one of his photos selected for exhibition at a Photoville festival in 2023
Bronx native Daniel J.’s love of photography blossomed during the pandemic, when remote learning led him to seek a creative outlet away from his computer. Using an iPhone to take pictures, he soon realized that still objects captured his imagination. “I would look at a set of keys on the sidewalk, and think about what happened, who it belonged to, and why it was left behind,” he said. His creative process includes adapting the angle, lighting, and composition of the photos based on what he learned at ICP at THE POINT and from his own intuition.
Daniel’s eyes light up when he shares about how photography grew into a passion. Daniel’s work has been selected several times for the annual Photoville festival in Brooklyn! Specializing in but not limited to black and white images, his images of a shopping cart in an abandoned lot, a majestic Bronx building, and a moment of joy between a child and an adult were featured in the public art exhibits over the span of three years. Now a senior at Validus Preparatory Academy, he has continued his love of photography on his Instagram account [@the_pictures_nobody_asked_for].
Beyond the lens, Daniel has demonstrated leadership within his school, winning the election for 11th Grade Representative. He shared that working behind the scenes with the administration is challenging and requires persistence. “Your friends don’t realize the time and work you have to do to talk with the principal and the teachers to get approvals. And sometimes the ideas don’t get passed.” One of Daniel’s ideas to host a bake sale fundraiser considers the financial situations of fellow students. “If we’re allowed to do a bake sale for example, we can put half the money raised into something fun and save half for seniors who need help with paying for prom or trips.” Undeterred, Daniel successfully ran for 12th Grade Representative and is continuing to try to effect change for his school community.
His CollegeBound Initiative Director of College Counseling (DCC), Hilary Hernandez, recognized his talent and leadership potential and has encouraged him to seek out a variety of college opportunities. He attended the CollegeBound Summer Institute (CBSI) to jump-start the college process with exposure to campus life and financial aid workshops, followed by small group conversations with college opportunity program directors at the CBI HEOP panel.
While Daniel is still exploring his college options, with applications completed for several CUNYs and SUNYs, he is confident in keeping photography a part of his life. “I might take some more classes in photography, but I don’t want to major in it for college. I think I’ll study education for my career and keep taking pictures as a passion for myself.”
You might also like…
Student Voices: Joining an Affinity Group Showed Me I Didn’t Have to Choose Between Identities
Alexander C. of East Side Community High School, a CBI partner school, reflected on the transformative power of affinity groups.