Since the beginning

As she watched her two older siblings explain each part of the camera and its function, her curiosity grew even more. All she wanted to do was have her very own camera.

Born into a family of photographers, it was no surprise that senior Ryan Rexford developed an interest for photography at the age of 6.

“I’ve been playing with cameras since I was young because my entire family is obsessed with photography,” Rexford said. “When I was younger, I used to collect National Geographic magazines and just look at the pictures.”

What first piqued her curiosity soon became more than just a hobby. She realized how much she liked taking photos. Photography was something she was passionate about, and it made her happy.

“I always thought of photography as a hobby or something that I would just do in my free time, but the more I used cameras, the more I enjoyed taking photos,” Rexford said.

Rexford had a natural talent for photography and wanted to share her skills with others. She started taking pictures for important events like prom and senior pictures with her close friend senior Lydia Tong. They both enjoyed this and used it as a good experience for starting their own photography business.

“Many seniors from last year had told us that their experience taking senior photos was very uncomfortable, and we wanted to ensure that senior photos would be fun and welcoming,” Rexford said. “We thought it would be a great learning experience for us to start a business. We both love photography, and this gave us a chance to expand our horizons and get out of our comfort zone.”

Dance, Photography or both?

Aside from photography, dance is a core part of Rexford’s identity. Rexford also enjoys dancing as it is different from photography because it involves teamwork while photography is more individual.

“Dance is more group oriented and has helped me make meaningful relationships with other girls, while photography is more individualistic and has helped me save my favorite memories and moments through images,” Rexford said.

Because of Belles, Rexford developed a close relationship with senior varsity captain Chloe Chang.

“She is very organized and the sweetest girl who is always prepared. If you ever need extra lipstick or hair clips Ryan has it,” Chang said.

Being president of varsity Belles and head photographer of yearbook while running her own business, Rexford has multiple activities to handle. But because of how much she enjoys her activities she doesn’t mind putting in the extra work.

“Finding the time to juggle all of the things I am in took me a while to figure out,” Rexford said. “A large part of the reason I am able to do this is because I enjoy the things I do so much. My activities bring me a lot of joy and happiness, giving me the motivation to find time to be involved in multiple things.”

It is very clear that even though Rexford has so much on her plate, she still tries to work diligently for not just herself but others as well.

“Ryan’s one of the most productive people I know,” junior sports editor of the yearbook, Katelyn Nguyen said. “She’s always on top of her work and always has time to help others. She manages her time really well and knows how to prioritize her work so she can do it efficiently.”

The future

As a senior, Rexford’s high school time is slowly coming to an end. Although photography is not what she is majoring in, it will be something she takes with her to college.

“For photography, I may still take photos of people for graduation and use some of the principles I have learned from my business in college,” Rexford said. “ However, I will mainly take pictures of things for fun, like landscapes or other random things I see.”

Rexford will continue her high school extracurriculars as hobbies and use them as experience going into college while also trying out new activities.

“Being in multiple activities has shown me some of my favorite hobbies, and I don’t want to give up on them in college. I want to expand my interests even more,” Rexford said.

Being head photographer on yearbook, Ryan has had many chances to make memories with new people. Her outgoing personality makes people feel comfortable around her.

“She’s the type of person that can make friends with anyone. She leaves a sort of lasting impression, she makes people feel special,” Nguyen said.

“Ryan is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, she’s always so kind to anyone she talks to and her confidence is unwavering.”