I have always had big dreams. When I was 9-years-old, about two years after starting my own photography business at 7, I fulfilled my dream to photograph the most famous person I could think of at my young age: The President of the United States at the time, Barack Obama. Such an incredible opportunity led me to appear on the Steve Harvey Show and interview celebrities like Tyler Perry and John Legend. After these experiences though, I took a step back and focused on my studies. In doing this I stopped dreaming big.
I started focusing on what society expected of me: To pursue an education that would lead me to a real job, not a “hobby” like the arts. I let my camera pick up dust because I thought I had to do something that society recognized as special; not realizing that something can be special just because it makes a person happy. During this period, I was incredibly unhappy with mindlessly pursuing studies and didn’t have a goal that gave me peace. It took about 5 years for the small spark of passion I had for photography to fan into a flame once again. It was the festival that Perry Farrell created, Lollapalooza 2022, where I watched J-Hope’s headlining performance and saw the photos that Steven Nunez took of him which inspired me to pick up my camera and dream big again.
I could feel J-hope’s energy through watching his performance on a screen in my bedroom. He poured out his heart on that Lollapalooza stage, inspiring me to dance with him as well. I wonder if the founder of Lollapalooza, Perry Farrell, ever thought that his festival, which begun to honor his farewell tour, would expand into something so large; something that would have a girl from a small town in Florida watching a Korean artist perform in Chicago, Illinois. Additionally, after the performance, when I saw the photo that Steven Nunez took of J-Hope’s on social media, it was as if a new fire lit inside of me; a new passion to take photos again rose to the surface and fought against the murky waters of lost hope. In one specific image, I saw the raw emotion of a man passionate for his craft. The beauty of the set list, his skillful stage presence, and the accompanying hearts of the ones who watched him perform became a captured memory on film.
After I saw that beautiful photo of J-Hope at Lollapalooza, the thirst I regained for photography was dehydrating. I wanted to capture passion like that. It was as if I saw myself in him through Steven Nunez’s photograph. Seeing him burn the stage with his artistry all encapsulated by Nunez’s photo inspired me to light my own flame and capture those memories as well. He perfectly froze in time J-Hope’s artistry and message; something that I now realize I would like to do. The photograph touched my heart so much that I painted it while yearning to take photos once again.
That photograph and concert saved me from giving up on my craft, one I’ve loved for a long time. Before seeing and experiencing it, I didn’t exactly know what my purpose was in my art form. I didn’t dream big anymore and instead, followed a path that was dictated to me by society. I find it absolutely incredible that Lollapalooza founder, Perry Farrell, intended for his festival to produce such results long before I even experienced it.
“I look at it like I’m trying to create a social gathering where people can feel that they were at the right place at the right time… and they can find out, discover, who the hell they are there; it’s a rite of passage.”
I really do feel as if I found out who I am through this festival. I discovered that part of my purpose here is to inspire others to pursue their passions, just as Perry Farrell’s festival, J-Hope’s performance, and Steven Nunez’s photograph inspired me. 10 years after starting my photography business, I have decided to pursue concert photography, yearning to photograph Lollapalooza this year. I hope through my photos, I can inspire those who were lost to dream again. I hope to ignite a fire in others, just as a fire was lit inside me.
The feelings I have towards photography are best expressed in the song, “Arson,” one of the songs J-Hope performed at Lollapalooza that day. Before, I was wondering whether I should continue pursuing my craft, similar to J-Hope’s lyric, “Now I ask myself, choose what / Do I put out the fire…” But through watching J-Hope’s performance at Perry Farrell’s festival and seeing Steven Nunez’s photograph, I’ve decided to, “…burn even brighter,” setting the world alight with my passion and desire to inspire others.
Photos With Madison 