Kevin Van Paassen
After seeing my first black and white print come up in a dark room tray I knew I wanted to be a photographer. It was an underexposed and slightly out of focus image of something completely unmemorable but I was instantly hooked.
Since then I've realized that the most remarkable thing about being a photojournalist is the people you encounter along the way. I can't think of another job that somehow allows you a glimpse into the lives of people and to tell their stories.
In 2006 I had the opportunity to spend several weeks with our Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. It was humbling to be a witness to such a defining time in our nation's history and to be given the responsibility of bringing those stories home to Canadians.