Junior Nathan Rojas never imagined his pictures would be anything more than a casual hobby; when he finally picked up a camera, he discovered that he could capture a moment in time. Using this tool, he could show his unique points of view and relate a story to the viewer. His exploration of photography has developed to become a ticket to discover this natural talent. 

“My sister is an editor for Mrs. Lee,” Nathan said. “She was always like ‘You should take pictures!’ But I always blew it off because my pictures weren’t going to be yearbook worthy.” 

 Nathan has only owned his own camera for a little over a year now. At first, he doubted his picture taking was relevant or interesting enough to be impactful, until his sister finally convinced him to join Mrs. Lee’s photojournalism class. His first assignment revealed the beauty of his amateur expertise.  

“[He was in journalism class] and I knew he wanted to take pictures,” Journalism and Yearbook Advisor, Mary Beth Lee said. “And he went on a photo assignment and he brings back these pictures. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, these are incredible!’” 

 Subsequently, Lee offered Nathan an opportunity to photograph for the yearbook. While still learning some of the technical aspects of editing, he joined yearbook, already armed with a strong knowledge of photography. Instead of posing or just taking pictures randomly, he observes and records.  

 “Mrs. Lee told me I was not allowed to influence the way they were acting,” Rojas said. “I just let them do their thing and I take pictures.” 

 He said he had taken about 5000 pictures in total but typically only keeps around 400 of them. Visiting different sporting events, Nathan must distinguish between action shots and what each photograph could depict. These images tell stories of school spirit, friendship, dedication, or triumph. 

 “I like to see the emotion and, also, I think of what Mrs. Lee says, to Capture The Moment,” Rojas said. 

 With a basic understanding of the art of photography, Nathan has gotten quite far. But it is not just about technicality. If he has the talent, and the understanding, then he is set to become a great addition to the yearbook staff. Lee talks about the risks he takes in his pictures and how they pay off to become great images.  

 “The number one thing I look for in a photographer, regardless of the photos they take, is the want to,” Lee said. “And he definitely had the want to. But as far as the pictures he takes, like ‘Why are they good,’ it’s just that he has an eye. Photographers, they just know.” 

 A few of his photos are already set to appear in the 2021 yearbook, some of swim and volleyball. He plans to take many more throughout the next few months, pandemic or not. Although he doesn’t plan to continue photography after high school as a career, his addition to the yearbook will help to truly convey the emotions and stories of this year. 

 “He wanted to do it and he was willing to try,” Lee said. “A lot of times people are afraid. From my standpoint and where I am, it seems Nathan’s pretty fearless in getting the shot. He’s going to get that picture. It’s awesome.”