Merry Castle
Junior Visual Communication major Lily Bauman finds beauty in everything. When her digital influence course required her to pick a sustainable interest to promote online, Bauman said she knew right away that she would choose photography. Bauman created a photography Instagram account and developed a website to showcase her work.
Photography is a big interest for Bauman. “There are so many photographers in the world, but everyone goes about it differently,” said Bauman. “I am constantly learning new things from seeing the different styles that each different photographer showcases, and it inspires me to get creative and unique with my own photography.”
Bauman said she believes photography is a sustainable topic because it’s something she can enjoy for the rest of her life. “I have a passion for photography and producing images that point to the beauty of our Creator and the beauty of the things He has created,” Bauman said. “I have been into photography for about five years now.”
Sports are Bauman’s favorite subject to photograph. “I started taking pictures for my high school’s sports teams in my sophomore year of high school and haven’t stopped since,” Bauman said. “I have been blessed with the opportunity to continue gaining experience in this area, as I work here at Spring Arbor as a sports photographer.”
Her goal is to someday become a photographer for the Seattle Seahawks. “Whether or not that happens, or whether or not photography becomes my main career, I know it will always be sustainable for me,” said Bauman.
As an assignment, Bauman had specific goals in mind. “My goals for this project were to stay active on my photography Instagram account through posts, interacting with other photography accounts that I follow, and making connections,” she said. “Another goal was to update my website and always look for ways to improve it.”
This experience has been educational for Bauman. “I have learned that it takes time to be intentional,” said Bauman. “I did not want to be posting just for the sake of posting, but rather I really wanted to be intentional with my account and my content.”
Bauman hopes others will learn something from her project. “More than anything else, I hope people see and experience God’s beauty and love,” said Bauman. “I hope that a picture of sunset, a person’s smile, or an athlete using their gifts points directly to the Creator of them.”
Students can view Bauman’s photography by visiting her Instagram or her website.
