In art class, we learned about photo-journalism and how to decorate journals using art and photography. It was at this time that we learned about a young man named Dan Eldon, who was a photojournalist. Eldon, a native of Hampstead, England, traveled and took pictures – two things that he loved and that drove his life. In the short 22 years that he lived, Eldon became well-known for his coverage of war-torn countries, including Somalia and Mozambique.

His photojournalism was both informative and artistic, which is why it became so popular and well-respected. His work appeared in a wide array of respected publications including Time and Newsweek and daily newspapers. Eldon lived his 22 years fully, with happiness and passion. Unfortunately, his impressive talents and love of life was cut short as a Somali mob killed him on the very day he was going to leave Mogadishu, Somalia.

I’ve learned many lessons from Dan. I’ve learned that you should follow your passion and dreams, no matter what the risks are, positive or negative. I’ve learned that you don’t know how short life is so you should live it with happiness and live it doing what you want to do. I’ve learned that it is important to live up to your own expectations instead of someone else’s.

The work I’ve included here is modeled after the work of Dan Eldon. Though it is nowhere near the level or subjects of his work, I wanted to imitate it to show my respect for his work and try and show how influential his work is for people.