- Desert Hoya
The Semester I Picked Up a Canon R6 Mark II
Honore Mugiraneza is a member of the Class of 2029.
My first semester at GU-Q can be measured in weeks, deadlines, and syllabi, but for me it is best remembered through a camera strap resting on my shoulder. The moment I picked up my Canon R6 II, it quietly became part of my daily rhythm. It was no longer just a tool I reached for on special occasions. It followed me into ordinary walks, spontaneous detours, and moments when I felt most present. Photography slowly turned the semester into a continuous act of noticing.
Some of my most familiar explorations unfolded along the Corniche. During the day, I learned to pay attention to light as it bounced off the water, softened by haze, or sharpened by the midday sun. At night, the same stretch transformed entirely. The skyline glowed, reflections stretched across the bay, and the city felt both alive and contemplative. Returning to the Corniche again and again taught me that the same place can tell radically different stories depending on time, patience, and how closely you look.
Al Bidda Park became another anchor. During our Iktashif Qatar (Discover Qatar) visits, the excitement started the moment we stepped in. Groups scattered, conversations overlapped, and I found myself chasing small, fleeting moments rather than grand scenes. Children running ahead, people pausing under trees, the quiet contrast between open green space and the surrounding city. Those visits trained my instinct to move quickly while still being intentional, to anticipate moments rather than react to them.
Yet the most intimate and unforgettable photograph of the semester came unexpectedly. During one of our visits, I spent time capturing a portrait of a Golden Retriever.
There was nothing staged about it. The dog’s calm presence, attentive eyes, and gentle posture created a moment that felt deeply human. As I framed the shot, everything else faded away. That photograph taught me more about portraiture than any technical guide ever could. It reminded me that connection matters more than settings, and that the best images often come from quiet exchanges rather than dramatic scenes.
I am deeply grateful to Georgetown for supporting this journey into photography. Having the freedom, encouragement, and institutional trust to explore creatively made a real difference. The campus was not just a place of academic growth, but a space where creative curiosity felt welcome.
Some of my most meaningful reflections happened through conversations with our librarian at GUQ. Those moments pushed me to think beyond images as aesthetic objects and toward photography as a way of archiving memory, experience, and meaning. They reminded me that creative work gains depth when paired with reflection and intentional learning.
Looking ahead, I do not see this semester as a peak, but as a beginning. I want to keep developing my eye, my discipline, and my confidence. I also aspire to expand into videography, especially by learning to work with the Insta 360 Ace Pro 2. If photography taught me how to see, videography feels like the next step in learning how to tell stories over time. This semester gave me a lens, literally and figuratively. What comes next is learning how far I can take it.
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