The Journey

When I first picked up a camera in 2023, I had no idea where the journey would take me. I just knew I liked the idea of capturing moments and turning them into something creative. But looking back now, I can honestly say I've learned so much more than I ever expected about photography, about social media, and even about myself.

Like most beginners, I started with no real understanding of how to properly take photos. Things like composition, exposure, and lighting felt overwhelming at first. I remember thinking my shots looked amazing... until I learned what good composition actually looked like, and editing? Yeah, editing was a whole different challenge. I fell into the same trap every beginner does: over-editing. I would take a perfectly good photo and crank the sliders until it barely looked real anymore. But honestly, those mistakes were necessary. If I hadn't over edited, I wouldn't have learned what not to do. Every experiment even the bad ones taught me something valuable.

I'm still not anywhere near the level of skill I want to reach. I don't think my composition is 'good enough' and my editing still needs work. But that's the point of photography it's a long learning curve. You grow through trial and error and persistence... not perfection.

Discovering the power of social media. One of the biggest surprises in my journey has been realizing just how powerful social media can be. When I first started, all I used was Facebook and a not so great website where I posted my photos. Fast forward to 2025, and RZVT now exists on multiple platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and even X (formerly Twitter). and building a presence on these platforms has shown me something important photography isn't just about taking a photo its about community.

Some people say you should only be proud of what you like and not care what others think. I agree to an extent. But for me, photography has always had one main purpose to build a community around creativity. I don't care whether a post gets 5 likes or 5,000. But I do appreciate every bit of support I get every comment, every share, every new follower. That connection means something. Even if no one saw my photos, I'd still take them. Posting is just a way to reach people who enjoy the same style and vibe that I do. And that's something worth being proud of.

Some big milestones that I never expected. 10,000+ engagements on my website, 1,000 followers on TikTok, 1,000 followers on Instagram, Verification badges on Instagram and Facebook. And my TikTok has recently surpassed 7k followers and still rising and my Instagram is also still rising. These numbers don't define me, but they remind of how far I've come. I never imagined reaching this many people with my work, especially coming from a time when my only platform was a small Facebook page.