Ray of Sunshine

I had purchased my camera three years before I actually started using it. I bought it for our web development agency, so we could take pictures of our clients. Most of our early clients, however, were either asking for portals or already had their own internal processes. So the camera sat on my desk all that time.

Next to my workplace was a photography studio, Maison Lior. I met the owner in the common dining area, where he noticed my artistic interests. He would occasionally ask me to pose for some of his photography ideas. Mo-Naji then became my mentor, and remains so to this day.

I had briefly mentioned to him that I had a camera sitting on my desk. He asked me to bring it the next time I came to the office. When I did, he showed me the relationship between shutter speed, light, and ISO.

“Follow the light,” he would say.

He sent me on a street photography assignment to develop my eye and apply the techniques I had just learned. I chose one of my favourite places in the city: Old Montreal. On the day of the assignment, I was zigzagging through the narrow streets, looking for the light.

Noticing the sun setting in a particular direction, I raced after the remaining rays of sunshine and landed at the specific location depicted in the picture.

This photograph, taken in Old Montreal, is a reminder of the first lessons I received from my dear mentor — lessons I believe were applied here with grace. The humanoid structure facing the sunlight became a direct metaphor for my mentor’s guidance.

May you follow your own light, and pick up your passion again.

This is Montreal.