Brandon Zau (12) recalls walking the calm evening streets of a Hong Kong market with his family, immersed in a sea of soft chatter from vendors and fellow customers. As they browsed through shops in search of ingredients for a home-cooked dinner, there was more to their surroundings that caught Brandon’s eye — the patient vendor, the meticulous chef, the group playing Mahjong. Equipped with his Ricoh GR III camera, he captured each story throughout this outing. Scrolling through his camera roll now, Brandon reminisces on the fond memories from this trip, all preserved through his photography.

Brandon cherishes photography for its ability to present the beauty in any subject or scene. He particularly appreciates the consequential experiences from engaging in photography that allowed him to grow even closer with his father. Brandon’s father, who also pursued film photography in high school, serves as a key influence to him, fostering his earliest interests in street photography.

“My dad introduced me to really cool street photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Fan Ho and Vivian Maier,” Brandon said. “He would show me how these people were able to paint such picturesque and beautiful photos in places that people go every day, turning the ordinary into something spectacular.”

As a visually-interested person since his earliest years, he would often peruse magazines, such as those from National Geographic and Sports Illustrated, not necessarily to read the articles within but rather to admire the striking photos they featured. Recognizing his growing fascination with photography, his father dedicated efforts toward furthering Brandon’s blossoming interests, strengthening the special bond between the two over photography. Brandon accredits his father for helping him get more involved in photography as he grew and matured.

“We’d go to the library, check out a couple photo books, go through each page and just talk about each photo,” Brandon said. “We’d sit together in the dining room and really analyze the photos. There would always be that certain page in that photo book where I would be gravitated towards, and he was able to recognize that and ask the right questions to guide me to why I like that specific page. He allowed me to discover my own photography style through these sessions.”

In his freshman year, Brandon grew more comfortable with taking to the camera himself in his Introduction to Journalism class, kick starting his photography journey throughout high school. Years of looking through the viewfinder not only trained him to discover the best viewpoints on shooting a subject matter but also ingrained in him a newfound lens of appreciating his everyday surroundings.

“My favorite part about photography is that I’m able to be in the moment,” Brandon said. “When I’m taking photos, I’m focused on setting the scene and taking photos to the best of my ability. It’s like when I’m in the zone, the flow state. Naturally, it’s something that I find really addictive. Photography taught me to be more appreciative and completely changed the way I see things. Now, I’m a lot more in the moment, and I’m more present with what’s going on. I’m more observant.”

Brandon’s love for the craft shines through to his friends too, as they value how his unique abilities enrich every memory they share together. Adi Jain (12), Brandon’s baseball teammate since their freshman year who he also bonds with off the field, notes his commitment not only to enjoying the present with others but also to extending joy through his photography afterward.

“He’s like a dedicated camera guy when we hang out,” Adi said. “He’s always there to capture the moment, and he makes a group chat at the end of the meetup to share all the pictures and videos. It’s really thoughtful of him, and he enjoys doing that. He goes out of his way to always make even the smallest hangouts always worth capturing and sharing.”

Close friend Vardaan Ghai (12), who first met Brandon during a fourth grade field trip, also attests to Brandon’s innate light-hearted nature. From watching funny Vine videos together on the bus ride in elementary school to cracking jokes at the lunch table in high school, Vardaan appreciates Brandon’s sense of humor and constant positive attitude.

“We bond a lot over funny things,” Vardaan said. “He has a way of not getting too down about things and [instead] finding a joke to lighten the mood and make people feel more comfortable or at ease. He’s usually looking for positives, and he’s not one to complain about this or that.”

Practicing photography helps Brandon improve his technical skills and also encourage growth at a personal level for him. Over the years, Brandon’s experiences in shooting gradually drew him out of his comfort zone, as he began to connect more with his subjects to overcome social anxieties and to set himself up with the best photo opportunities.

“I owe a lot to photography because it allowed me to become a lot more sociable,” Brandon said. “As an underclassmen, I was pretty timid behind the camera. I realized that would not get me the results I wanted, so in order to overcome that, I needed to be more talkative, break the barrier with who I’m shooting, get to know them as a person or crack jokes. Through that subtle change in my mindset, I was able to take photos and tell stories better and also expand my social abilities.”

Brandon’s shift in character from his former reticent nature manifests itself through his evolving role on the Harker varsity baseball team. Baseball coach Mike Delfino acknowledges Brandon’s ability to express himself to help other players and step into a mentorship role.

“I see him reaching out to others more and teaching them how we go through practices, especially the younger players and other outfielders,” Delfino said. “He’s more confident now in the way he does it, and I’ve watched his maturity and leadership grow over the last couple years.”

Brandon’s journey with photography transcends a mere personal pursuit. It serves as a conduit through which he can impact others with evocative imagery and his newfound self-confidence. Brandon recognizes how this impact applies to his contributions in the Harker journalism program as the photo editor for Harker Aquila.

“In the beginning, I wasn’t a confident guy,” Brandon said. “I was pretty self conscious and would always question myself and my ability to lead a team. But I found my niche in photography, and my biggest goal is not necessarily to get the most awards or produce the most pieces. I want to be remembered for spreading the love of photography and instilling what my dad did to me with others.”