Whenever anyone asks me why I decided to be a photographer, my answer has just always been, “I just like to take photos.” The truth in the matter is that becoming a photographer was just something that fell in my lap. An unexpected surprise that worked out in awesome and incredible ways. A single weekend changed my whole career path and life, a manifestation that came to actualization.

Photography had always been a hobby of mine. Some of my earliest memories are of the 1,2,3, cheese and then the flash from my mother’s Minolta in my face. I spent most of my childhood and teenage years fantasizing and yearning to be in front of the camera. I was raised in the theatre, countless hours of music lessons, different instruments, statewide acting competitions you name it. As time progressed I started looking for something more, I felt as though I wanted to become a master of my craft, I wanted to know all the ins and outs, the secrets, the tricks. So, I decided to go to film school, the place where my passion for photography was born.

I entered Brooks Institute of Photography majoring in Film Production emphasizing in production design and art direction, which is the conceptualization and execution of the visual language and properties of film. I excelled and was working for well know Production Designers in the Industry by the end of my first year. By the beginning of my senior year at Brooks I already had 3 national airtimes under my belt, one of these projects was one of the top three music videos on MTV3 for over a month. I had all my ducks in a row. I was ready to enter the workforce full force. It appeared as though I would be one of the few who would graduate and have no problem working in one of the hardest industries in the world to break into… Hollywood, but I still wanted more.

I relocated to San Francisco from northern Los Angeles in early 2010 pursuing a job in the entertainment industry. I started taking more and more photos for work and began to feel more fulfilled. It was a better way of communication for me, a dialect of the language of visuals that made complete sense. Photography is an outlet where I can express all of my creative abilities, a more effective way to express the things I have trouble putting into words.

My art is what I see. It is me. It is you. It is my dreams. It is my waking life. It is my thoughts. It is your thoughts. It is my expression. It is what you want to express. It is beauty. It is life. It is death. It is for me. It is for you. It is what I eat. It is what I drink. It is what I really am. It is nothing like me at all. It is the ground I walk on. It is the stars I reach for. It is everything. It is nothing. My art is.

Copyright belongs solely to Ari Berger (aka domoarifoto).. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without written consent.