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My story
Meet the person behind the camera
One of my first pictures on my first camera
Image from my school photography collection
Kia ora! I’m Leticia — the photographer behind Cool Change.
I’ve always been drawn to travel, adventure, and capturing the world through my lens. This site is my creative space, a place to share the images and stories collected along the way, from far-off adventures to moments close to home.
My love for photography started young. At sixteen, I bought my first film SLR which was a second-hand, fully manual Pentax with no light meter. I still remember photographing a litter of kittens at the local veterinary practice where I worked part-time. From then on, I was hooked.
In high school, photography quickly became my favourite subject. I’d lose hours in the darkroom, developing film and printing images by hand. Shooting on film taught me discipline as you had to get the shot right in camera, with no filters or instant fixes. For me, photography has always been where art meets science.
After school, I considered studying photography full-time, but back then it didn’t feel like a career you could make a living from. So, I started working in insurance while keeping photography as my creative outlet. I photographed friends for years before taking the leap into wedding photography. It was incredibly rewarding and equally nerve wracking especially when shooting on film.
Eventually, I (reluctantly!) made the switch to digital. While I love the instant feedback it offers, I still shoot with the same mindset I learned from film: compose thoughtfully, get it right in-camera, and capture the moment as it truly is.
Early Film Work
Photojournalistic Style
Over the years, I’ve completed a number of photography courses, each one adding a new layer to my craft. I particularly enjoyed learning how to work in a studio, experimenting with lighting, and shooting with medium format film cameras.
While my technical skills have evolved, my photojournalistic style has stayed the same. I focus on telling the story as it happens, capturing real moments with minimal post-processing. For me, authenticity will always matter more than perfection.
Where to Next?
The adventures will continue and I’ll keep on snapping. I created this website as a place to remember, reflect, and share the stories I’ve captured along the way. My hope is to inspire others to get out into the world and experience as much as they can.
While my phone camera gets more use than I’d like to admit, I’m committed to picking up a “real” camera whenever possible to capture authentic, thoughtful images that go beyond a quick snap.
Who knows, maybe one day this side hustle will help put food on the table. And yes, I’m still holding onto the dream of getting that call from National Geographic. A girl’s gotta dream, right?
