Ever since his arrival at Bonita Vista High (BVH) in the 2022-2023 school year, BVH Principal Lee Romero has been actively involved in BVH by photographing various school events and posting them on his social media account. Romero pursues photography as a passion and uses it to build stronger bonds with his students.
Prior to being appointed as Bonita Vista High (BVH) principal, Romero was also the Montgomery High School (MHS) principal. During his time at MHS, one of his students helped improve his knowledge of photography, which Romero uses to this day.
“This [student] was so into photography that he would sit with me in the football games. We would compare notes and it would show me how to do my adjustments. I didn’t even know how to switch my camera to manual and shoot that way, but he would teach me how to do this kind of stuff,” Romero said.
Although his student taught him different photography techniques, it was not the first time Romero picked up a camera. When Romero attended BVH as a junior, he took his first photography class in a dark classroom, which allowed him to practice old school photography. Coming back to BVH, he has the opportunity to continue taking photos—for his students this time.
“I really love taking photos. I got some good shots. My most significant moment, and favorite picture is of a wrestling match, and I got a shot of a girl smiling while pinning down her opponent,” Romero said.
After graduating high school, Romero enrolled in Southwestern College (SWC) to continue his passion for photography. At SWC, he dived deeper into understanding the various forms of photography, including portraits and nature. However, as Romero transferred to San Diego State University to get his degree in teaching math, he stepped back from his photography aspirations.
“I got Filipino parents and they said that I was going to be an engineer. If I were to tell my dad and mom, ‘Oh, I’m going to be an artist’ they would be like ‘No, you’re not’. So even though I didn’t have the grades for it, I was going to be an engineer,” Romero said.
Romero mentions that growing up, his parents encouraged him to pursue a career that would financially support him. However, pursuing photography would not have allowed him to make a lot of money. As he shifted his career focus from engineer to a math teacher, he acknowledges how he still continued to involve himself with photography.
“I thought ‘if I’m not going to be an engineer, I’ll be a teacher’, and I was able to dabble with photography. Since then I kept doing it, but I just love it. I love being able to go and take pictures of people and then show them off,” Romero said.
Romero’s photography work resumed once his kids were born. Using his expertise in photography, he captured precious moments with his children. As Romero’s children grew up, they developed an interest in sports, allowing Romero to document their adventures through his lens.
“When my kids were born, I got into digital cameras, [which] are easier than old school photography. My kids swam, played water polo and surfed a lot. So I was into taking action sports pictures, and photography suddenly made its way back into my life,” Romero said.
Although his children helped revive his photography work, it was not until Romero assumed the role as principal that he truly grasped the potential of social media. He started capturing moments of students’ activities, events and achievements, and shared them on various social media platforms, like Instagram.
“I really like what he does. He takes pictures of all of [the students]. I actually wish he would take even more [photos] because he only posts around ten pictures,” BVH wrestler and junior Julian Valdivia said.
With positive reactions from his work, taking photos and posting them online has allowed Romero to engage in conversations with various individuals on campus. Whenever he captures images of people, he seeks their consent, allowing him to adopt a connection with his community. Moreover, this practice has facilitated connections with parents, as they often request photographs of their children.
“I really appreciate Mr. Romero’s photography. It’s cool that we get to see our photos. I also like how we have an engaged principal because it brings everyone together. It also makes everything, in and out of the classrooms, more enjoyable,” Wrestling Captain and sophomore Edwin Flores Jr. said.
Upon returning to BVH, Romero made a conscious effort to improve his skills. For instance, he learned that facial expressions could make a high quality photo. Additionally, he challenged himself to abandon the use of zoom lenses, allowing him to get up close and personal with his subjects when taking photos. These approaches to photography help him form a connection with the wrestling team. This fosters a more social and engaging experience for Romero when capturing the moment.
“Some of his pictures are really good, but sometimes he puts us in bad positions. I remember my teammate being pinned down, and Mr. Romero got his funny facial expressions. It was funny looking at all his photos afterwards,” Valdivia said.
Despite his photos garnering positive feedback, Romero believes that there is room for more improvement. Whenever he finds professional photographers at sports events, he is not afraid to ask for help.
“When I’m out there taking pictures, I always ask for help if there is a professional photographer on the sidelines. This has helped teach me how to shoot in manual mode on my camera, and rarely ever use automatic because true professionals use manual,” Romero said.
Seeking for guidance has been a key to Romero becoming the photographer he is today. As he enjoys every moment when capturing photos, he also cherishes the connection he gets to build with his community.
“Photography has forced me to talk to people, when I take pictures. It connects me with people. If I post the pictures, they come up and talk to me about it. It’s got me connected with not only students, but their parents, [and] I love it,” Romero said.
