Hello everyone. Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. Im excited to be writing my first post and starting my profile here at steemit. My name is Luis Walton and I recently began to take photography a little more serious than I ever thought I would. Growing up I was always focused on sports, video games and school. It was in high school where I picked up my first camera for my Multimedia class. I had to pick a sporting event for school and take pictures for the yearbook. According to my teacher, I had the eye for photography, and he encouraged me to get more into it. He let me take a camera home and experiment with it. I got into it for a bit but my focus was still more on school and sports. I ended up giving the camera back and didnt pick one up until a year ago.

This didn't mean that I wasn't taking pictures in the meantime. I though I had it all with the iphone camera. I was snapping photos left and right once they upgraded the cameras on these phones. They are completely ridiculous nowadays. I began to notice that my pictures where getting a lot of attention on social media. They weren't the best pictures but I began to notice more and more people tell me that I should try and do it. I mentioned to them before that I had tried but the hardest part for me was traveling and exploring the areas around me. To me it wasn't all about the traveling, creativity is all around us and getting pictures can be achieved anywhere, but I did want to visit all these amazing spots we have around the bay area.

Once I got a car, I was out and about almost everyday. I started to visit placed I always wanted to go and also took couple road trips. When I went on the road trips, I was still shooting with just an iphone camera and was still getting some amazing shots. Looking back at old pictures from the trip, I do wish that I had a DSLR back then. After being back from the trip and countless of hikes, I began to realize how much beauty there is and how everything around us has a specific purpose. I felt at peace when I would hike and sit there to watch the sunrise/sunset. I was really enjoying taking pictures and sharing with everyone all the places I had visited.

It was then when I decided to buy my first DSLR camera. I waited until Black Friday of 2016 to buy a camera and start making even more memories. Since then I've been trying to better my education in photography. It isn't easy balancing time but when you love something, you make time for it. I never thought I would like photography this much. So if you ask me why photography? I could go on and on in telling you why. All i want to do through my pictures is to motivate people to go out and explore more. and to show those who don't have the opportunity to travel all the places I am given the privilege to go. This earth is our backyard and there are many beautiful places to see. I am still yet to make my first international adventure but for now I will continue to bring you guys the best I can. I hope you all enjoy what I have to share. Have a safe weekend.