Picture This: College Admission Essay Sample

I just cannot help it -- I see the world around me like I am looking through a camera lens. Everywhere I go I see perfect photo opportunities. Whenever I stumble upon beautiful lighting, contrast, shape, color or texture, I am compelled to take a picture. Often, my desire is to capture an image that elicits emotion, possesses meaning, or tells a story. Even when I am with my photography class, I get confused looks while shooting. My peers just do not see what I see. Although I am grateful for this talent, I wish it had an on and off switch. When I am with friends, no matter where we are, I repeatedly fall behind, stopping to snap an image I am sure I cannot live without.

While I am passionate about photography, I am addicted to editing. Photo editing programs, such as Photoshop and Lightroom, are like bottomless toolboxes, allowing me to enhance my photos with no limits -- except my creativity and mastery of the tools available. Like a scuba diver exploring the depths of the ocean, I dive deep into the program, discovering new ways to transform my pictures. I am immersed for hours, losing all track of time, forgetting to come up for air. With the drag of a mouse and the click of a button, technology makes it all so easy. There is something absolutely magical about the ability to alter any aspect of a photo in an instant.

I have been so fortunate to have such supportive art and photography teachers in high school, who have fueled my passion for photography and accelerated my capabilities. They continue to offer valuable advice, constructive criticism, and professional expertise. Outside of school, I often turn to the website "PetaPixel" for helpful tips, and have taken photography classes offered through my community. There is no replacement for the experience I have gained from countless hours of personal trial and error. While it may not be a career, photography and editing will always be a gratifying hobby.