All about me. My story and biography. My hobbies and passions.

About me

As you probably noticed, I've always had a profound love for nature and a deep admiration for the world around us. In my childhood, I had my own universe, spending time alone, day dreaming and watching documentaries on Animal Planet, hoping that one day I will be that explorer going on the adventure. Even though things didn't go quite like that, I am seeing my dreams coming true, one by one. Along the years I've discovered other passions and hobbies as well, just more ways of blessing and cherishing life.
Anything that involves nature, animals, outdoors, arts, or dance - I will be there, happy to be a part of it or present in it, acknowledging and probably taking a picture.
I created this website firstly for me, to keep track and have a database for my many albums of all the trips and events I’ve been to. Having a programmer mind, I designed the filtering mechanism and the whole site just the way I wanted, to be easy to find and see the data that I want.
I don’t wish to be a blogger, Instagrammer, or content creator. There are many out there doing a great job, but I don’t see myself in those roles, at least for now. I simply have a deep desire to explore the world and capture its beauty through my lenses.
Passion for photography came so naturally to me during my younger years that I had never paid attention to this growing hobby that today has become such an important part of my life. There are some concrete reasons why photography conquered my heart. While I see this world so beautiful and mysterious, I’ve also had a desire to share my admiration and show others what I feel about everything that surrounds us. Since I’ve always had a struggle with writing or putting into words what I think and feel, in photography I found a way of expression. Something simpler and more natural to me. Later on, dancing came into my life, which became another amazing magical way of expression.
I remember I was using my first camera on film, the family camera, when I was only 13 years old, taking photos of my dog. At 14 years old, my dad bought me my first digital camera, which to me was a miracle. From having only 24 or 36 shots per film, to being able to take 200-300 digital photos only to copy them to the computer and start again without paying for another film… was overwhelming. Later on I upgraded to a semi-professional camera, since 2009 I’ve owned DSLRs and in 2018 I added mirrorless to my collection.
From nature, animals, wildlife, dog shows, pets to traveling, dancing, hiking, winter sports, exploring new places, I’ve managed to combine them all very well during the years with my passion for photography. Between the ages of 14 and 18, I used to be a photographer at dog shows in Romania and other nearby countries, taking pictures for dog breeders.
Later on, I started traveling with other landscape photographers to stunning places in the middle of nature, catching unforgettable sunsets, dreamy mornings with fog above villages, capturing the rural life of Romania and the whole nature across the country.
In 2010 I discovered dancing, another huge passion that has remained with me to this day. Since 2015 I've been traveling to Brazilian Zouk dance events around the world as both a photographer and dancer. Thanks to this hobby I've connected with an incredible community that I meet at festivals all over the world. I feel truly blessed to have found this passion for dance, but my words will never be enough to describe the intensity of the moment we get to experience through dancing. I can only hope the photos show a glimpse of the heaven we’ve found..
Besides dancing events, I simply love traveling—whether it’s to visit friends, explore places I’ve read about, or organize trips and hikes in the middle of the nature to capture its beauty in pictures. Or… as I am preparing now, to leave home for a while and just ‘go’ nomad.
Some links with my profiles and portofolio:
Articles where my photos had been published:
Special mention about my dear Golden Retriever girl, Geena , who brightened my life for 15 wonderful years, leaving me with cherished memories that will forever hold a special place in my heart. Geena was more than just a pet; she was a star known far and wide. From my college days to dance school and international dog shows where she earned the title of International Show Champion, Geena was not only a companion but also a beloved travel partner on my many adventures throughout Romania.
A facebook page dedicated to her:
More photos from my life:
Photo Camera
           
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Golden Retriever
Mountain
© Ioana Catalina E.