Learning to see
Beyond the surface
Carolina Zumarán-Jones
Through this series of images, I explore the journey of becoming a photographer—an evolution that is as much about cultivating a mindset as it is about mastering the technical skills. This selection of vignettes reflects my path from botanicals to street photography and portraits, illustrating a creative evolution marked by learning to see and discovering my voice.
Working with botanicals was an entry point into photography, through it I learned the subtleties of color, light, shadow and texture. The shift in my work was driven by a desire to explore the body, the spirit, and the intricate relationship between people and their environments. Moving from botanicals to street photography and portraits allowed me to capture not just the external appearance, but the essence of human experience: the way light dances on skin, the silent dialogue between a person and their surroundings, and the fleeting moments that reveal the unguarded self.
Finding one’s voice as an artist is not a destination but a continual journey—one filled with moments of doubt, discovery, and transformation. My path has been marked by an ongoing cycle of learning, unlearning, and relearning, where each phase of my work informs the next, often leading me back to familiar places with a renewed perspective.