Byline: Editorial assistant Nariman Jiries
Editorial assistant Nariman Jiries interviewed India Carr, who was awarded the Gold Key Award in the Photography category of the 2011 Central New York Scholastic Art Awards. She also was chosen as the winner of the 2011 Rudy Hellmann Photography Award.
Name: India Carr
Age: 18
Where do you live? Syracuse
What school do you go to? I attended Bishop Grimes from sixth grade to 10th grade. I transferred to Henninger High School because of the art program that they offer.
What grade are you in? I am a senior, and counting down the days till graduation (June 25 at the Onondaga County War Memorial).
Tell us about your family: I live with my mother and my younger sister, Kaeley. I see my dad regularly, though. Both of my parents are very supportive of my work. My dad especially is my number one supporter. He is always there for support and drives me to all my special locations to get all my great photos. My younger sister, Kaeley, is like my little muse. She plays a huge role in my earlier work. My mom, however, is my rock; she keeps my grounded and focused.
How did you feel when you won this award? I was very surprised. However, when I found out that I won a Gold Key and was competing for a higher award, I was very grateful to get this honor. When I found out I got a higher title, I was shocked and so happy that all my hard work paid off.
What other awards have you won? Last year, I won a Silver Key in photography in the 2010 Scholastic Art Show.
Why did you choose a lion for your photo? I chose to submit the lion into this show because it was my strongest piece. I'm also fascinated with lions. I find them to be strong and powerful animals.
What did your family/friends say to you about winning? When my mom found out about me winning, she was very proud of me. When my father found out I won this award, he was very proud of me, because out of all the kids and artwork that were submitted, to have mine win was such a great honor. He said it shows my talents and to have other teachers and other artists notice how good I am, 'Is just wow!' My best friend Amanda was very proud of me.
When did you become interested in photography? When I was younger. I was very fascinated by the 'stories' photos told and how you can capture one moment in time. I used to play a game with my nana's old photos; I'd look at the photos and try and come up with a background story based on the people's faces in the photos.
Do you have any other hobbies? Some of my hobbies include hiking, camping and local road trips around New York to local state parks. I also enjoy silk-screening. I also enjoy tarot card readings.
Do you play any sports? I have been a member of the girls varsity swim team for the past two years. I also became one of the captains this past season.
What type of music do you listen to? I love to listen to indie rock music along with a lot of '90s hits. My favorite bands would have to be Florence and the Machine and Animal Collective.
What kind of things do you read? I like to read a lot of novels. Recently I have been reading the novel, 'Water for Elephants,' by Sara Gruen. I usually try to read the book before I see the film in theaters.
What is your favorite subject in school, and why? I have two favorite subjects in school. One is world history, I just love to learn about the past world leaders. I also love art class. My art teachers have all been inspiring, and helped me grow into the artist I am today. They guided me into new directions and helped me learn many new techniques and styles of art.
What are your college plans? I plan on attending college in the fall. I will major in advertising photography.
What type of career would you like to have when you get older? I would love to be successful enough with my photography to travel around the world freelancing.
Is there a person you admire the most? I would have to say I admire my mom the most. My reason for this is she has shown me that hard work pays off. My mom also taught me that 'We women are like tea bags. We don't know our true strength until we are put into hot water.'
What do you hope for yourself in the future? One of the main things I hope for my future is success and happiness no matter what road I take in life. In the end when we all have nothing, I want to be able to look back on my life and be like 'Wow that was one hell of a journey.'
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David Lassman/The Post-Standard
INDIA CARR,a senior at Henninger High School, received the Gold Key Award in photography for her picture of a lion at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in the 2011 Central New York Scholastic Art Awards. The title of her photo is 'The Color of Royalty.'
