My name is Nasrina, but I also go by Nasra. I've always enjoyed observing pretty things. My camera gave me a chance to look at pretty things more distinctly and gave me an opportunity to look at them forever. I believe life has beauty everywhere even in places we don't see it. If we pay close attention, we would realize how surrounded we are by goodness. I didn't learn this myself, my camera showed me this. I walk around my neighborhood without appreciating its beauty but when I go out with my camera, I come back with the most beautiful pictures. And that I believe is what gives photography its touch. I try to embody the camera by seeing the best in every aspect. I wish to share my work with people so more people can appreciate what life can look like through a lens like I do.

My name is Nasrina but I also go by Nasra. I’m from Kenya but I moved here 2 years ago. I have had a passion for art since I was in kindergarten. I use to draw, sketch and color all the time. Now it’s a hobby of mine and as I grew I learnt new forms of art like painting. My dad introduced me to (CCC creative career cohorts). I found this a good opportunity to explore art further in the form of photography. I had no past experiences with cameras, so I knew this was going to be a new experience and I would have to encounter challenges in the process.

The connection I had with art in kindergarten has followed me through life. It acted as a form of outlet. I believe my life would be in black and white if I hadn’t embraced the creative world of art. It painted my life same way I painted with my heart. It brought essence to my life the same way I captured essence through my camera. I’ve taken pictures  I didn’t like at all and ones I’m very proud of however they’ve both played a part in my growth. I still have a long journey of exploration ahead, and I hope CCC will lead me through it. Thank you.

My name is Nasra. I joined Youth in Focus because I was interested in photography. I didn’t have much experience with the camera so I started with no background knowledge of how a camera works. I have learnt a lot about photography during my time in Youth in Focus. I messed up a lot of times but in the end I learnt something new. I want to learn more every time I get something right or whenever I take a good picture.

I’m also the model in my photo. I chose this photo because I was impressed by how the light and motion  were captured by the camera. The light source was my Ramadan lamp. Ramadan photos normally look cheerful and lively. My photo looks a little different. I wanted to present something that a viewer can look at and think through their own perspective about what was trying to be portrayed. My intention was to make my photos Islam themed but also unique. I was trying to make it less religious to show the diversity of the Islamic community. This was like painting with light. Waving the lamp in different directions without knowing what the picture was going to look like was an interesting activity. I intended to capture a piece of my personality in the picture. I enjoy being alone and I find peace in my own company. The darkness could be understood as my seclusion and the light could be interpreted as how I feel being alone. I feel the most comfortable when I am with myself.

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