Ry Sangalang

I'm a surreal fine art photographer that specializes in combining travel and fashion photos to create photomontages. I once sat on a plane for 27 hours to explore the hot jungles of Africa and capture photos of lions and giraffes for my work.

My goal is to create the most unique photomontages by combining images from around the world.

I've traveled to over 25 countries to collect photos and find inspiration. I've found gratefulness for life and strong craving for art. This craving has also driven me to create my own art. Each experience strengthens my resolve to travel and enjoy artistic inspiration.

I grew up in a rough neighborhood and didn't fit in at school. So as a kid, I spent a lot of time reading books at the local library. I fell in love with stories about adventure and mystery. The characters became my role models.

When I turned 18 my parents told me I was completely on my own. "We want to teach you the meaning of independence" they said. I believed this to be partly true. The bigger reason was they could not afford to send me, my brother and sister to school all at once. I worked as many as 3 different jobs each week to get through college.

My first year was tough. I had achieved 1.7 out of a 4.0 grade scale. That’s a C- average! The school sent me a letter. They planned to cut my financial aid and kick me out.

Following the characters in the novels, I didn't give up. Somehow I raised my grades, paid for school and graduated.

I now believe in themes such as the hero’s journey, the power of dreaming and grace that comes with exploration and taking risks. I try to express these in my art.

We can all achieve whatever we put our minds to. Even a once struggling student like me.