One man, one camera, one world to change

Submitted By: Yvon Noralez

Location: Caye Caulker, Belize

My name is Yvon Noralez of Caye Caulker, Belize.  Without photography my life would have been dull even though I live in the bright sunshine of the tropics.  With a camera in my hand I am able to speak.  I got my first camera at the age of fourteen. I have taken many photos of sunsets, flowers, children and island life but the one photo I wish I had been able to take is of my father. 

In 2013,hoping to change my life with an Adobe Creativity Scholarship, I wrote "When I’m taking pictures I feel like, regardless of how it may seem, I can take anything and make it look beautiful. When I’m dancing or taking pictures I feel like I can escape from the hectic world around me and enter a world of serenity.  When I was fourteen a friend gave me a camera as a gift and I started playing around taking photos.They were not very good at first, but with practice they became more and more professional. Two years ago I was accepted for a photography apprenticeship with a local wedding planner and I have learned a great deal about how to share my creative skills with a client and work together towards a shared creative vision. I like making a living with my art".

Fast forward to Yvon today in 2015. Winning the Adobe Youth Creativity Scholarship made it possible for me to attend college and study visual arts. Even though I took longer to attend than I intended to, I was so grateful for the opportunity. I entered the competition with little confidence that I would have been one of the chosen recipient for this award. I was already working with the intentions of saving up and be able to send myself off to continue with my studies. There was no way that my mom would have been able to afford to send me to college. I’ll never forget the day that Miss Joni called me on my phone and delivered the wonderful news, I was washing up dishes at the time.

I am achieving a lot in my life and all I kept thinking was how I wished that my father was here to see my accomplishments and be proud of me. My community and even people that I didn’t even know come up to me to say how proud they are of me and to keep it up, I even booked some photography gigs, I did a wedding and some other photography. Not only the kids that I teach dance to,look up to me but also adults and it’s the best feeling in the world. 

That was a moment for me when I knew that I could not let anyone down especially myself. I believe that one man can change the world, I’m that man and I’m starting with my small village. Whenever the kids see me on the street the greet me and I’m glad that I have an impact on these kids and the future of my small Caribbean island home.