“I was little when I liked photography, I went out with my family and took pictures on a camera that my dad had.”
Hosbel Hernández, 29, never imagined that he would be able to study what he was passionate about.
“Art has changed me a lot, it has helped me to express myself, to do things that I never imagined. It has taken me to places like the New York Times,” Hernandez said.
Hernández attended LaGuardia Community College, where he graduated from the commercial photography program and where one of his most significant projects was recently published in the New York Times.
“From telling that story of my grandmother Bienvenida, who was an adopted girl, so I always found it super nice to tell that story of us, Latinos united here,” added Hernández.
And although he still doesn’t believe it, since it was not easy for him to study and have two full-time jobs to graduate, he says he is proud.
“I was the first in my family to graduate from college, and I am proud to take that risk, face my fears, I graduated in less than three years and it was a difficult time.”
Difficult because he did it during the pandemic, which, he says, took away a bit of his college experience. However, his experiences and artistic sense led him to look at things from different angles and develop his own style without abandoning his daily responsibilities.
“I work, study, help at home, help my sister, that the calls, that my mother does not know English, it was difficult, sometimes it gave me a lot of anxiety,” said Hernández.
Hernández, inspired by his surroundings and especially by his family, says he hopes to one day travel the world taking photos of other cultures and motivate other young Latinos like him.
“Always contributing to the community, always helping the neighbors, helping ourselves and I would like to have an influence on the young people, that’s why I work with the children.”
And although it may seem unusual, all his work is done with a camera borrowed from the university, which shows his tenacity and his desire to get ahead.
2023-08-01 22:22:14
#Art #places #NYTimes #Hernández #photographer