I quit my job today.
But there is work to be done. My heart is racing. I have wanted to do this for so long...but I was so scared. I still am! I believe that it will all be okay -- no, more than okay.. it will be amazing.
I worked as a social worker for the past 5 years. I loved working with my patients and hopefully making people's lives a little better. However I don't feel I am leaving social work altogether. I feel I use my social work in EVERY shoot and interaction I have. Without social work in my life, and my experience as a social worker, I wouldn't be the photographer I am today.
I don't know what the future holds. I won't have fixed income anymore. I need still to invest in more gear, more education, in my business which I built from nothing but a starter camera that someone gave me...But if I don't try now, when? I implore everyone to watch THIS SPEECH by Steve Harvey, where he says that you cannot just exist in this life. "Every successful person in this world has jumped..."
I am taking the jump.
The past few years my business has allowed me to find drive and motivation, and has literally enabled me to survive in this crazy world.
I am forever indebted to my clients who have trusted me from the beginning with their memories: their love and their personal moments. Without photography, I would not have been able to afford high costs of medical treatments I had to go through. For that I am truly forever humbled by your support. I am grateful to each one of you, from hiring me for your shoots to spreading the word about my business to a simple "like" on facebook. I could not have done it without you..
There's so many things I have planned. There's so much I am leaving behind...I am ready.
If social work has taught me anything it's that life is short. It's too short to be letting yourself down and that we never know when our next opportunity will come around. I feel so lucky that I even have this option. I am blessed. I really have to thank my clients and my peers who have encouraged me to keep going and working to improve. And of course my family. And my husband Achi who has let me ignore him for the past few years while I fell into this obsession and now our hopeful future.
What now?
I hope that everyday I will make someone happy and at the same time feel fulfilled. That I will be able to support myself and give back to my clients in the best way I can. That I will be able to create and capture beautiful moments and memories and give my clients and people viewing these photos a sense of calm, happiness and joy.
What if I fail?
Well...what if I fly?