By Charlotte Petterson
Bill Yao, in Grade 11, is a dedicated artist who has captured many amazing areas of our world through photography. You may have seen some of his work displayed outside room A256 in the Senior Academic Wing.
Bill started photography at fourteen years old, when his grandfather gave him his first camera. In mid 2017, Bill became serious about his art, after visiting Tokyo with a group of National Geographic students. There, he discovered his love for exploring the city with his camera. Bill shoots on a Sony A7R Mark II, and he loves to capture landscapes and people in his photography, believing it is important to show the beauty and diversity of the world we live in.
Bill’s photography was most recently inspired by Emmett Sparling and Sam Kolder’s work. Sparling and Kolder’s photography and videography are travel-centered; Bill says he is now more focused on exploring the world and capturing each place’s unique aspects because of Kolder’s work. Both in their early twenties, Kolder and Sparling are truly excelling in their field despite their age. Bill says, “I have a long way to go, but I want to get to their level when I’m in my twenties”.
Bill Yao, in Grade 11, is a dedicated artist who has captured many amazing areas of our world through photography. You may have seen some of his work displayed outside room A256 in the Senior Academic Wing.
Bill started photography at fourteen years old, when his grandfather gave him his first camera. In mid 2017, Bill became serious about his art, after visiting Tokyo with a group of National Geographic students. There, he discovered his love for exploring the city with his camera. Bill shoots on a Sony A7R Mark II, and he loves to capture landscapes and people in his photography, believing it is important to show the beauty and diversity of the world we live in.
Bill’s photography was most recently inspired by Emmett Sparling and Sam Kolder’s work. Sparling and Kolder’s photography and videography are travel-centered; Bill says he is now more focused on exploring the world and capturing each place’s unique aspects because of Kolder’s work. Both in their early twenties, Kolder and Sparling are truly excelling in their field despite their age. Bill says, “I have a long way to go, but I want to get to their level when I’m in my twenties”.
Traveling is very important to Bill, and he hopes to use his talent in photography to continue traveling throughout his life. Not only does he want to continue photographing the places he visits, but he is also hoping to work with charities and tourist organizations in connection with his art. He wants to raise funds for charities that may not be as well known, bringing attention to their causes through the images he captures.
Outside of photography, Bill enjoys playing basketball and filmmaking. Though he is quite new to film, he is looking forward to learning more about professional production. Alongside taking photos in each new place he visits, Bill wants to also produce cinematic travel videos. He hopes to one day produce a documentary.
When asked about what photography is to him, Bill says, “photography is a way for me to tell stories”. In the future, Bill wants to focus more on the diverse lives of the people from the places he visits. His goal is to give voice through photography to those who don’t have a chance to tell their story.
Find more of Bill's work at billyaophotography.com