DORSET TOWNSHIP — Since childhood, Christabel Devadoss, 21, has had an eye for capturing moments in pictures.

The daughter of Jon and Donna Devadoss, Dorset Township, Christabel’s cultural and artistic heritage has given her a unique perspective on the world.

“My Dad was born in India and my Indian heritage is very important to me; one of my goals in life is to travel to India and learn more about the culture, and of course, I’ll have my camera with me,” Christabel said.

Christabel’s mother, Donna, a local artist, taught her how to draw at a very young age.

“My mother paints, and she taught me the importance of composition, perspective, position of the subject, reference to background and shapes. The rules of photography are very similar to painting and drawing, and I have used what my mother taught me in my photography,” she said.

Today, an exhibit of Christabel’s photography is at the Galleria at Erieview in the Artists Review Today store, in Cleveland. The exhibit will be on display at least through March.

Growing up in rural Ashtabula County, Christabel acquired a deep appreciation for nature which clearly shows up in her photos.

“As a kid, I was always the one with the camera on camping trips taking pictures of everything and everyone to preserve the memories,” she said.

Christabel received her first “real” camera at age 16, a Nikon FM10, for Christmas.

“I didn’t begin to pursue photography as a possible career choice until I was 18, before that it was just something that I loved to do,” she said.

An honor student, Christabel graduated from high school in 2006 with an associate of arts degree from Lakeland Community College and a diploma from Jefferson Area High School.

In December, 2009, she graduated with honors from Kent State University with a bachelor of science degree in visual journalism. She is employed part-time at New Image Photography in Woodmere.

Christabel’s decision to become a photo journalist came during a cross-country trip out west when she turned 18.

“The cross-country trip really cemented the idea, because travel is also one of my passions and photography is the way to preserve all of that inspiring scenery,” she said.

“I first started college as an English major because I love to write, but then after the trip out west, I thought why not combine my two loves and become a photo journalist.”

Christabel’s photography is at the Galleria today thanks to the efforts of Jan Thrope, a social worker and author from Cleveland.

“One of my photo-journalistic projects was on the plight of Slavic Village in Cleveland and one woman’s efforts to turn her neighborhood around,” she said. “Jan Thrope is writing a book about inner city Cleveland featuring Barbara Anderson and her work to improve the city and she needed some photos, and Barbara Anderson put Jan in touch with me.”

Thrope not only was impressed with Christabel’s Slavic Village photos, but with her entire portfolio and invited her to be part of an exhibit she was forming at the Galleria for up and coming young artists.

“Christabel has the eye of a photo-journalist. She can immerse herself with out being intrusive which enables her to photograph the truth,” Thrope said. “She sees with more than her eyes and has a keen sense of timing that allows her to capture the image and the emotional essence of the moment.”

“I am proud to support Christabel’s work, because she is passionate about telling these types of stories,” Thrope said.

Future goals for Christabel are obtaining a masters degree and traveling the world.

“It is very exciting for me to tell a whole story with one picture,” Christabel said.

If you go:

Galleria at Erieview is located at 1301 E. 9th St., Cleveland.

Christabel Devadoss’s photography is inside a store called Artist Review Today. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.