Nick Oza Bio      My passion for photography started when I was 14 while I was playing with scrap cinema film. I cut a hole in a cardboard box, just the size of a film strip, and used a mirror to project images from the film on my bathroom tiles. I used a magnifying glass to see the image.      But I never knew I would have a career in photography until I met my friend Alex Fernandes, a commercial photographer. I borrowed his book, John Hedgecoe's Practical Photography, and hand-copied it because I didn't have the money to buy it. It took me about three to four months, but writing each word made me grasp the book especially well.      Fortunately, I did some freelance work and got the opportunity to come to America to study and explore my life. I was accepted by the Brooks Institute, the Rhode Island School of Design, the Portfolio Center and Columbia College. Since my uncle lived in Chicago, I selected Columbia College. I came here to study commercial photography, but several instructors told me that I saw things uniquely and should pursue photojournalism or documentary photography. That's how I met a gentleman named John H. White.      Mr. White is one of the most passionate people I've ever known. I sat in his class in spite of having 14 credit hours, working 60-some hours on a graveyard shift and freelancing for a few weeklies on weekends to make ends meet in college.      I started shooting assignments that Mr. White was giving to his students and showing them to him after class. He was so thrilled that he told me to put my work with the other students' for critiquing. I took lots of notes. Mr. White is so inspirational that I tell everybody I am a product of Mr. John H. White.      It was a tough five and a half years earning a degree, but it was very satisfying for a person like me, studying in a foreign country. One thing I regret is I didn't have time to do internships while I was in school. They came after I graduated. I applied to what seemed like every newspaper in the country asking them to hire me as an intern. My time was running out because my work permit was on the verge of expiring, so I took a major chance with an unpaid internship at The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC). But I was lucky there. They saw my hard work and effort, and they started paying me for a 40-hour/week internship. This is also where I started learning PhotoShop.      The Herald-Sun staff took me under their wings and helped me tremendously in landing another internship at The Grand Rapids Press in Michigan. These two internships prepared me for my current position with The Macon Telegraph. Living in Macon was the best thing to happen to me though it was difficult for a couple of weeks. Having lived in big cities like Bombay and Chicago, it was a little culture shock.  However, I changed my attitude and said to myself, "I will give my best to the Macon community." And indeed, it happened. Day in and day out, I strive to communicate visually solid and meaningful messages with the readers. My community gives me feedback, so the next day I work harder to give my appreciation back with the help of my staffers and photo editor.       I often speak at local schools and the Middle Georgia Camera Club. I had a great opportunity to do volunteer work with Aunt Maggie's Kitchen (a group which supports single parents) to teach photography to children, ages 9 to 14, sponsored by Kodak and Canon. I taught my class in the park, not in a classroom, so children could become more in tune with nature and with others. I emphasized their enjoying life, seeing things and getting along with each other; then, the photography became second nature. You don't have to work for it, but celebrate it.      Photojournalism is a documentation of life. In life, there is no such word as "wrong." It depends on who is judging. The issues we deal with in everyday life affect us heavily. I absorb this feeling and want to focus on becoming a better human first, then on spreading the knowledge. God has given wisdom and knowledge to every soul; it depends on how a person sees it. My quest in life is to explore this world and to understand the differences between reality and how we function. Muktanada (a philosopher) said, "You have to understand your own self and it will come to you." That's how I see myself as a journalist. I want to document people, life and social structure. Many journalists think they are here to change society. In my personal opinion, people will change if they want to. So many of us are caught up in changing other people's lives, but we have our own problems. How can you preach when you see the fault within you?      Everybody has a story to tell. In my profession, the camera allows me to get close to people. They share their views, fear and joy, and I share mine. For me, understanding comes first and only then, does my camera.      Visual diary is so important in life. Even when a person travels to another part of the globe, the native people will understand the visual. Everybody has vision.  The effort is in developing it. I strive to put forth that effort for my community. Surveys say that people glance at a newspaper page for an average of three seconds. If the visual is powerful enough to fixate their attention, they might dig for more. Nick Oza
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