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January 27, 2025
“I feel like I kind of have an eye for seeing things people wouldn't normally see, and I just like being able to share that part of life with people,” said senior Ella Bettencourt.
Bettencourt has been involved in photography since middle school, when her mom gifted her a camera, and her passion for the art has only strengthened from there. “I feel like it gave me purpose when I would go on walks because during quarantine especially, that really got me into it, just like trying to get out of the house,” said Bettencourt.
Bettencourt’s love for photography has taken many forms in her life. In school, she is heavily involved in MBHS’ yearbook program, taking photos at all the football games and other sports events. She has also participated in school-based videography programs, particularly the MBHS’ annual Film Fest.
During the 2023-2024 school year, she submitted “Local Music,” a documentary highlighting local musicians on the Central Coast of California, which was the winner in the miscellaneous films category. This year, she plans to submit something even better. When asked about submissions for the 2025 film fest, Bettencourt said “I am [submitting something], it’s kind of top secret, but I am.”
Outside of school, Bettencourt does various photography projects for her community. “Just recently I took Indie’s senior photos and I feel like that turned out really well, so I was happy about that,” said Bettencourt. She also works as a photographer for local youth recreational sports teams, “Even when I have to get up at five in the morning to go take those photos, I'm just like super excited.”
Of course, this success hasn’t come by pure luck. Bettencourt did attribute part of her skill set to her photography job, “Yeah definitely through this job I've learned a lot about manual settings, which is cool,” but she also credited her previous yearbook teacher for a lot of her skill today. “Definitely the first person to teach me was Mr. Mammarella, because he was my first yearbook teacher three years ago and he was really helpful with that,” said Bettencourt.
Ella Bettencourt (Photo Credit: Jonas Smith)
Ella Bettencourt’s love for photography and videography has grown exponentially with the new experiences and opportunities surrounding her in her high school years. She hopes to continue the work she does now by studying a related field in college and entering a similar field for her career. Bettencourt’s love for the art is clearly shown through the immense amount of time and effort she pours into each and every project, and it is clear that her talent and passion will only grow as she continues to experience all that there is in the world of photography.
A Snapshot of Ella Bettencourt's Photography:
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