Our artist of the week, Natalie Fitch, is a senior at Watauga High School and has been participating in Yearbook since her sophomore year. She is currently Editor in Chief.
“My dad bought my brother a DSLR camera around 2016 but my brother gave it to me when he started prioritizing sports and didn’t have much time for photography,” said Fitch. “I would say that my dad got me into photography because he has always been a role-model and inspiration for me to pursue my passion.”
Fitch says that she loves photography because of the opportunities it has given her to meet new people in the community and get to know their stories.
“Being able to learn more about those around me has been the most meaningful part of photography for me because I have been able to put myself in other people's shoes, as well as gained a new appreciation for our town and its citizens, embracing our differences,” said Fitch. “I also love how creative you can be with photography, there’s really never any shortage of ideas to capture a shot!”
Fitch’s favorite picture (shown above) was taken during Watauga County’s 9/11 Memorial Stair Walk. All the first responders participating attached a picture of a 9/11 victim to their helmets to honor them.
“I think that this is an impactful picture because it shows perspective. Even though the 9/11 attack was so large, there is a small comparison in this photo of how a firefighter today still remembers the life of a singular firefighter who lost his life on 9/11,” said Fitch. “When I looked back on the image, I thought it was really interesting to see how clear the tag card is, along with the local firefighter's face. It can be tricky to have so many things in focus in an image.”
The power of photography to capture important moments, both large and small, allows us to better understand the stories of others.
“Photography affects other people because it can make people feel seen, valued, and heard,” said Fitch.
As head of the Yearbook at Watauga High School, Fitch has explored the meaning and significance of photography both in and out of school.
“Photography can help capture what is going on in the world without any words. When we look back at history we often look at photographs and images, and it is so important to recognize just how much more knowledge we gain on a certain event because of photographs,” said Fitch.
Fitch intends to take her photography skills beyond Watauga, but will always credit her first DSLR for opening this door.
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