Gabby Salazar '09 has always found a way to combine her love of photography with business. In high school, the aspiring nature photographer started selling portraits in her hometown of Pleasant Garden, N.C., to earn the money necessary to pursue her hobby.
Now, Salazar is entering yet another business venture spurred by her interest in photography - she is the editor of the new Nature's Best Photography for Kids, a nature photography magazine.
The magazine is a student edition of Nature's Best Photography, a quarterly publication that prints wildlife photography from around the globe.
Salazar, who was recognized in 2004 as the British Broadcasting Corporation's Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, conceived the plan for the magazine when she was interning at Nature's Best Photography this summer.
Salazar said she mentioned the idea for a children's magazine during a meeting this summer with Steve Freligh, editor-in-chief and publisher of Nature's Best Photography - and he immediately hopped on board. Not only that, he told a surprised Salazar that she could be editor.
Salazar wants to use this position to help young people recognize their power and their talents.
"I knew how many stories kids have to tell and I really wanted to give them a platform," she said. "I wanted to make them realize that they can change the world."
Freligh said he thinks Salazar will be able to take on the challenge, despite her youth. "What I've observed with Gabby is that she's able to take on the responsibilities of many projects with very little experience," he said. "She has a passion for whatever she's doing and the intelligence to be able to implement that passion."
Salazar has applied her passion for photography since age 12, thanks to her father's eagerness to share his favorite hobby. Within minutes of picking up a camera, Salazar said, she was hooked.
"She really took to it like a fish to water," said her father, Paul Salazar.
After discovering her talent in photography, Salazar began entering contests, applying for scholarships and submitting her work to various magazines. Her photographs have appeared in such publications as Wildlife in North Carolina and Chinese National Geographic for Kids.
Salazar also began holding photography workshops at which she taught young children the basics of the camera. Salazar said working with children inspired her to create a magazine showcasing their work.
"It's amazing how kids light up when they engage in nature and in the environment, when they have a camera in their hands," she said.
One of the main points Salazar stresses to the children is that a photographer doesn't need to be a globetrotter to shoot impressive pictures.
"I wasn't one of those kids that could just travel whenever they wanted," she said. "I want them to see you can take these pictures in your backyard. I want this to be accessible to all levels of income, to all backgrounds."
With an interactive Web site, an editorial staff with no one over the age of 23 and content produced exclusively by young adults, NBPK provides a new and innovative resource for young photographers, according to Salazar.
Salazar is eager to keep the magazine fresh, catering to the younger set. Though she plans to take next semester off to work on the magazine, she says she won't stay on the staff for more than three years.
"I don't want to get too old to represent the magazine," she said.
In the meantime, Salazar's co-workers say her energy has helped make the magazine a success.
"She's definitely the driving force of this magazine right now," said Chase Pickering, director of marketing and promotions at NBPK. "She's doing this in a way that's successful because she builds these personal connections with people around the world."
Salazar admits she has, in fact, memorized the names and ages of all the contributors of the current issue. She said she enjoys promoting the art of others but does not plan to print any of her own photographs in the magazine.
"The real story isn't about me," she said. "It's about the kids."
