I am always mesmerized by the camera’s ability to capture life in its fleeting moments. Here, I wanted to capture the feelings — the happiness, innocence and exhilaration — that I felt on this sunny day in California.

When I first started studying photography, I was amazed that I saw fascinating photo opportunities wherever I went. I even saw the world in black and white when required. To me, the essence of photography is the photographer communicating with her prospective audience, saying, “This is what I saw and felt, and this is the way I want you to see it.”

People say you have to have that “natural eye” to produce great captures. I’ve never been sure what that “eye” is, or if I have it. But I know what I see around me, and I know how I want my audience to see it.

And essentially, I think that’s what good photography is all about.