I am Laura Marks, an 18 year-old photographer from Upstate New York.

    Closing these dark walls over my eyes, the visions of me excitedly flipping through the manila pages appear. The photos that laid on the pages before me told me stories of my past. The stories were of my very first years, experiencing adventures with my family. I fell in love with photos, and the memories and stories they tell those who look at them. Since those very first moments, I have grown to love photography, and understand the feeling and impact it has on my life. Through my photography I can express my feelings, points of views, beliefs, and ideas to the world.

    As my brother and sister took photography courses, I became more inspired. Seeing their photos made me want to look for hidden pleasures in the scenes of life, that most wouldn't normally see. I have become immersed in photography. Six Years of my life could almost be told step by step by the 15 photo albums I have. A Couple of years ago I took my first photography class. I learned so much more than I thought I could. I learned how to operate a manual 35-mm camera, and the techniques used to conquer the darkroom and the use of the chemicals. This was truly intriguing. I have tried to put forth my greatest efforts to mature my skills, and I have come to realize that I am most interested in capturing the every day and spontaneous, the connection between humans and the world around us.