KHave you ever come to wonder how photographs become so full of details, and each one of the photos has to mean? Senior Dylan Cook is a very young and aspiring photographer. Not only does Cook excel in photography, but he also has won a Scholastic Art’s gold key award. With Cook’s talent, he is aspiring to become a better photographer.

Expectations

When Cook entered his art portfolio to the competition, hearing the news of winning a gold key award made him feel as if his calling for photography was a hobby he was meant to do, and showed him that his work is strong.

“So when people enter their images into the competition, it’s so sparse on what they will enter that it’s hard to say what the judges are going to appreciate the most,” Dylan said. “I think my work is strong, so I do think I had a standing.”

Not only does his work excel, but it shows that he has an individual has his own artistic styles of photography. Having talent such as Cook’s can bring different techniques into the field.

“Dylan has a unique style to his work and holds true to his interest in traditional techniques like shooting film (analog), developing his film in the darkroom, and printing his images in the darkroom,” Teresa Cook, Cook’s mother, said. “He holds true to creating pieces that ask a viewer what they are seeing, ‘What is the subject thinking or feeling?’ He has a very journalistic style and finds street photography to be inspiring and a favorite subject to shoot.”

Impact of Photography

Finding talent is easy, but what’s hard is the dedication they chose to put into their time. There is always a story to finding the special passion one can enjoy.

“I broke my foot when I was 14, and I was really bored in the summer, and I decided that I wanted to take photos out of the blue one day. After that, I wanted to get a camera that was decent,” Cook explained. “I went up to my cabin, and there was an auction for people’s stuff, and I could of the case of old film cameras that was there. So that kind of just started me on film right off the bat. So I just took my camera around with my broken foot and took photos, and now I’m obsessed with it, and I take my camera everywhere.”

When Cook found out that photography was one of his callings, he wanted to become better and better. Photography helped him realize that it was something he’d come to love and enjoy for the rest of his life.

“It’s something that I just decided to do one day, and I just got caught up with it. I really love it, and it’s what I want to do,” Cook explained. “I already have what I’m trying to say, and what I’m looking for. The cameras are just there to translate that to something you can see.”

With the motivation to become a better photographer, Cook almost always carries his camera everywhere he goes. Sometimes he will find a perfect opportunity to take photos wherever he is.

“Photography has become a part of Dylan’s everyday life. He rarely leaves home without a camera. He finds photographic opportunities all over the place,” Teresa said. “One area that has changed or expanded for Dylan is that he is currently working with portrait styles along with his street photography. Dylan has been shooting creative senior pictures for people, family portrait sessions, and other specific subject shoots.”

With the engine Cook carries in his heart, his passion for photography gives him a kickstart for more motivation to compete in the art competition whether he wins, or not. With his capability to showcase his skills, many opportunities will be thrown at him.