Inspired by the spirit of adventure and the bittersweet pull of change, Going to California is a coming-of-age photo series
documenting a college road trip up the California coast. Named after the Led Zeppelin song, the series weaves together
images that feel like memories—some sharp and vivid, others hazy and fleeting—mirroring the journey of youth itself.

Shot on an old film camera, an Olympus Mju II, until a clumsy drop left the camera broken, the trip, like the photos, took an unexpected turn and led to disruptive yet beautiful light leaks scattered amongst the project. Much like coming of age, being forced to adapt to change, I continued capturing moments with a Canon PowerShot and the banged-up Olympus. Hoping the camera would still work despite the sketchy tape job, embracing the shift as part of the story. The result is a visual mixtape of a journey both physical and personal—one of self-discovery, long highways, and late-night conversations that stretched
until dawn.

Through film grain, digital texture, and the unpredictability of travel, Going to California is a love letter to youth, change, and the beauty of the unknown that is the future.