Samantha "Sam" Ramirez is one of our Workforce Development interns and also our new up and coming nature photographer. We asked her for an interview about all her work thus far and her experiences here at the Audubon Center at Debs Park.

He Sung:
Thank you for joining me for this interview, Sam. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Samantha:
Hello, my name is Sam and I am an Angeleno Corps intern and a part of the Workforce Development interns at the Audubon Center at Debs Park. I've been here for around 9 months now and started doing nature photography 4 months ago.

He Sung:
What brought you here to the Audubon Center at Debs Park?

Samantha:
Well, I've always loved being outside and in nature. When I saw the Audubon Center at Debs Park was a potential worksite for Angeleno Corps, I checked out the website and saw not only nature, but all these people enjoying being outside and having fun. It reminded me of when I was young. My grandparents used to take care of me and I would get bored since I didn't have internet or a device like most others did. So I would always go outside with my siblings and dig into the dirt to look for roly-polys and worms. Sometimes, we even put the worms out for birds to eat them.

He Sung:
Oh no! 

Samantha:
(laughs) I was young!

He Sung:
(laughs) Well, that was when you were young, what about now? Would you say you are still a 'nature kid'?

Samantha:
Oh, of course! I still love nature to this day. Whenever I'm outside, I feel like my eyes sparkle with joy. I love the green of nature, the sun, the flowers, animals, insects, all of them. I love seeing and experiencing nature.

He Sung:
That's wonderful! I'd like to ask, what are some nature experiences that you have here at the Audubon Center at Debs Park? 

Samantha:
I thought bird walks were very exciting! I'd never done a bird walk before and my inner child was so excited to explore birds and actually take time to watch them. My first time hiking here, we saw this huge hawk! It was my first time seeing a hawk so close up and I never realized until then just how huge those hawks actually are.

He Sung:
Those hawks were diving too, right?

Samantha:
Yes! That was awesome.

He Sung:
What a first impression for a hike here! And if I recall, it was after that hike that you started doing nature photography here at Debs Park. Could you tell us more about what that was like?

Samantha: 
The first step in my photography journey was through here at the Center. Seeing the staff's excitement for my photos helped me be more proud and confident in myself. I just loved seeing people's excitement for my work and for nature.

He Sung:
All that excitement that you have for nature comes through your photos and that's why we get excited! Photos are a way for others to see how you view the world, after all.

Samantha:
I agree!

He Sung:
What are some things you've learned as a new nature photographer? Do you have any tips and tricks you'd like to share?

Samantha:
Definitely learn your angles to get the perfect shot. When you look at nature and feel that beauty, you should think about how you can highlight that beauty using the right angles. Another way you can highlight a subject is by using focus. When you focus on your subject and let the background blur, the contrast really highlights them and makes them look even more amazing. For example, in my macro photos, I always make sure my focus is only on the subject. A lot of it really does boil down to learning how to fully use your device, whether a camera or a phone.

He Sung:
In other words, we should try out the Pro setting on our phones!

Samantha:
(laughs) Yes, you absolutely should.

He Sung:
Now that we've gone over the technical aspects, what about the actual subject? What stands out to you and compels you to take a photo of it?

Samantha:
There's a lot that comes to mind. When I see something [in nature] that I think is really beautiful, I want to take a photo of it, especially since I don't get to see things like that often. It's also all about memory; when you see something you've never seen before, you want to capture that moment so you'll never forget it. That's what runs through my mind when I take a photo, thinking that I might never see this again and that I want to be able to remember it in a photo.

He Sung:
You know what they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Following from that, what's your favorite photo that you've taken at the Center thus far?

Samantha:
Probably the one I took of the [Nuttal's] woodpecker.

Samantha:
I'd never seen a woodpecker like that before, so as soon as I saw it on the tree, I laid myself down on the rock to get the perfect photo. It was difficult getting the right angle and focus with how heavy my lenses were in that position, but I was really dedicated and I think the photo came out great. Another photo I love is the one of the [Allen's] hummingbird. It was there for over ten minutes and it gave me so much time to focus on it. It was also a different type of hummingbird. I'm used to seeing the green ones, but this one was orange.

He Sung:
The orange Allen's Hummingbirds are pretty fiesty with the green Anna's Hummingbirds, and yet you managed to take a great photo of them!

Samantha:
I'm really proud of that shot and I would say it's something like a core memory for me. I'd never done that before and never did I think I'd see a hummingbird stay still for so long. 

He Sung:
I'm glad to hear that you've made and captured so many memories here! Have you ever told your friends and family about the Center?

Samantha:
I have invited my friends to Debs Park, actually! I told them about the hike along [Scrub Jay Trail] and how you can see Downtown Los Angeles along with all the nature. There's something really beautiful about that to me. I also told my mother about the Center, especially how kid-friendly it is. I have younger siblings and the Audubon Center is perfect for them to come play outside and enjoy nature the way I did. 

He Sung:
We hope to see them here and maybe they can even catch you here with your camera out!

Samantha:
(laughs) That'd be great!

He Sung:
Well, thank you so much for your time today, Sam. We're so excited to see you continue your nature photographer journey!

Samantha:
Thank you!