Beat
I cover breaking news, such as protests and fires, and technology, including stories about Apple, Google and Facebook.
One Shot
“I like the photo of the fire near Mount Diablo in California because after 12 hours of trying and failing to capture a good image of a wildfire on the mountain, the wind kicked up and flames rushed through a canyon at high speeds making a good photograph as residents and fire firefighters scrambled for safety.”
Profile
I mostly taught myself photography. I took one class in high school and one in college, but I learnt most of what I know through working at UC Berkeley’s student paper, The Daily Californian, as well as through interning at the Oakland Tribune.
It was through the student paper that I had my first ever assignment. I was 18 years old and I completed five or six shoots which earned me more than $150. This was what got me hooked working for newspapers.
In general, assignments don’t tend to affect me personally. One story that did leave a lasting impression was when then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom opened the door to same-sex marriage in 2004. I watched couple after couple emerge from City Hall overcome by joy and proudly displaying their love and tears. It left me realising how much this step towards marriage equality meant to so many people.
My biggest lesson in photography, besides learning how a camera works, has been staying open to new ways of shooting and thinking.
I especially enjoy assignments that involve, wildfire, edgy protests or riots. I have been a photographer for a long time, so when I take photographs, I imagine an audience residing in another city. I generally look for single images that convey the story as stand-alone photos.
The person I respect the most is carmaker and space pioneer Elon Musk. I think it is mind-boggling that one man is able to work in multiple fields so successfully while doing good deeds for the world.