Photographing Career Begins with KTP Photo Activities
The YOUTH who is familiarly called Zul has a steel mentality. He no longer cares what people think. Often he was looked at with a compassionate gaze. But, he continues to step forward to become a person with a disability who can inspire others.
During school, Zul has to take an angkot from Benelan Lor Village, District of Kabat, to his school in Banyuwangi. At that time he often felt the sting of the skin on his feet, blisters. During school, he is often ridiculed by his peers.
“My mother became my light. My mother always supported me when I fell and complained that my friends made fun of me. Yes, even while shedding tears," he said. According to Zul, dreams are not just wishful thinking. He worked hard and always prayed to make his dreams come true.
After graduating MAN 1 Banyuwangi, Zul met an NGO activist, Hellen Keller Internasional Surabaya, Eka Prastham, who is visiting Bumi Blambangan. Birth man 7 October 1992 finally decided to join the NGO.
"I studied how to be a good motivator and was a presenter at Surabaya State University and Surabaya Polytechnic,"explained the youngest of the three brothers. Zul likes things related to computer technology. He intends to continue studying in the field of information and technology or IT.
“At that time there was an opportunity to participate in the selection of scholarship recipients at the Institute of Technology 10 November. However, during the final selection the committee doubted my physical condition and finally my name was crossed out from the scholarship recipient list," he said.
The fact that he was rejected by the campus made him rethink about his career. Finally, Zul chose to return to Banyuwangi after traveling around Surabaya for a year. Then, the man who likes cats works as an admin in one of the advocate foundations on Jalan Crab, Banyuwangi.
His strong desire to learn encouraged him to study while working in his hometown. He majored in law at the Faculty of Law, Untag Banyuwangi, because according to the work occupied at that time. "Alhamdulillah, I passed the Untag Foundation scholarship test. Tuition fees are also borne until completion. Yes, The knowledge I have acquired is suitable for my field of work, about law,he explained.
Currently taking the sixth semester at the beginning of the year 2014 then, disaster came to color his life. His beloved mother fell ill and was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cost of cancer treatment is not small. And being the only breadwinner for the family caused him to take time off from college and seek additional income outside the advocate foundation.
“Finally I did whatever work I could do at the village office, start preparing coffee, back up files, and so on," he said. The village office became a turning point in his life. Once he received an order to take a picture of a person who was about to make an identity card (KTP). That's where he first held a DSLR manual camera.
"Wow, how come it's cool to hold a DSLR camera?. I thought maybe if I took pictures using this manual camera, a girl would come closer and who knows, I would be my soul mate,” he commented while laughing remembering the first time he came into contact with the manual camera.
The activity of capturing faces with a borrowed camera for ID cards was carried out only on Saturdays and Sundays. He felt comfortable with the job and his intentions gradually changed. Zul said, the longer it takes to shoot, the more he wants to give the best results for clients who ask for his help.
“In the end, taking pictures is no longer a job to help the family's economy, but it's a hobby that I do most of the time in my spare time," he explained. His photography hobby has developed not only for KTP photos, Zul also mingled with a group of photography enthusiasts.
He also enriched photography techniques. He bought a DSLR camera on credit to support his work. “With many acquaintances, jobs often come. Most often it's a model photo," he explained. Zul decided to leave the advocate foundation after three years of being involved.
He chose to focus on photography as a hobby. Zul admits that photography is not an easy thing for him. However, he consistently continues to learn and develop his technique to be better. Now he and four other friends set up a photo studio that is managed together.
“My motivation is to get involved in this photography field, I want to prove that people with disabilities can also do things like normal humans. I want to inspire other friends with disabilities. If I can why can't they?he said excitedly.
During 2,5 His years of career as a photographer were not in vain. August 2016 then he was invited to the television reality show Kick Andy in Jakarta. “I was moved to receive Kick Andy's invitation and those are really sweet memories in my memory. We are disabled, not handicapped, it's just that we are different and have different ways of doing our daily activities- day," he added again. (radar)
