The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

Got a tip? Have something you need to tell us? Contact us

Loading Recent Classifieds...

Aspiring cinematographer practices passion through photography

Photo courtesy of Dominick Aznavour

Most people have something they are passionate about. Some  tend to let their passions vanish as they grow older, and begin to face the world at hand.

Dominick Aznavour, Dom to his friends, is not one of those people. He has had a hold of his life’s passion for some time, and has no plans on letting it fall to the wayside.

Aznavour, 23, has had a strong affection for visual arts since a very young age, and his passion for it has grown.

His love for the arts began with painting at age 12, which transitioned into photography and film. Aznavour brought that passion with him to CSUN and the cinema television and arts program.

“I am completely obsessed with what I want to do and have been obsessed with visual arts since a child,” the aspiring cinematographer said.

As Aznavour diligently works towards a career in the entertainment industry, he practices his passion through photography. He is constantly snapping photos, trying to capture moments that will never exist again, he said.

Aznavour uses photography as a canvas. Relating his work to the art he fell in love with as a child.

It’s an easier way to paint a picture using shape, color, texture, and lines in his set ups.

“Photography allows for a pure and original display of emotion,” Aznavour said. “These emotions can be very specific yet subjective to an individual.”

Taking the artistic approach to his photography, Aznavour attempts to draw the viewer into the photo rather than just display an image. His love for photography led to him finding what career path his life would take.

Aznavour, a member of the Screen Actors Guild, began taking headshots of his friends, something he found entertaining and a good way to practice his craft. Positive feedback came in from the headshots he had done, and he realized that he was good at something he loved to do.

This is when he decided to take his passion for visual arts and photography and transitioned into the world of film, he said.

“I’ve always been visually driven,” Aznavour said. “Film is very similar as far as the set up and capturing moments. Same principles, best take versus best picture.”

The choice to follow his passion for the arts into the entertainment industry was met with some criticism. Aznavour said he sometimes feels likethe black sheep of a family, which consists of businessmen, like his father, and dentists, like his brothers.

Aznavour is the only person in his family that pursues the arts.

“I don’t know where the gene came from,” Aznavour said.

He said his brothers, both CSUN alumni, are very mechanical. Although he has faced some opposition for his choice in career, he never lets that get him down or out of focus, he said.

While Aznavour has gone from one medium to the next, he also plays drums and has always stayed true to his passions.

Aznavour’s ultimate goal is to become a cinematographer, but he would welcome anything that allows him to be visually creative or out of the box, he said.

One thing he is certain about is the fact that he wants to work in the entertainment industry, he said. His desire to work in the industry has kept him in the Los Angeles area and at CSUN.

“L.A. is not only where I want to work, but where I want to go to school,” Aznavour said.

It is important to Aznavour to be near the entertainment capitol that is Los Angeles so that he can begin to network and build towards that career within the industry.

More to Discover