Oak Knoll student picks photography as her passion project, seeking advice from Frances Freyberg

It wasn’t until college that photographer Frances Freyberg – first profiled on InMenlo in 2010 and a frequent contributor since – became seriously interested in her craft. But, 10-year-old Macey Lane Rawlinson is already learning how to handle a camera and has picked photography for her 5th grade passion project at Oak Knoll School. In the process, she interviewed Frances to better understand what it takes to become a pro.

“Everybody in the 5th grade picks a passion project,” Macey explained during an after school visit that included her father Glenn. “You pick questions to research, get the answers, and then put them into your own words. Your work is displayed during portfolio night at school.”

Macey says she, like Frances, prefers taking outside, landscape shots over people shots. “I like photographing flowers and water,” she says. She uses a Nikon D70 and occasionally an iPhone.

Her father Glenn has seen her evolution as a photographer. “She’ll tell me, ‘we have to hurry up and take photos because the light is good now,'” he says.

With her portofolio project wrapped up, Macey is now eying the possibilities of what she and her camera may see on the family’s summer vacation.”I definitely want to continue taking photos,” she says.

Photo of Macey by Frances Freyberg

Flower photos by Macey Lane Rawlinson