I wouldn’t say it was just one thing, one reason that I chose to be a photographer; but more a myriad of events and feelings that culminated creating the need for change. When I think about it, I almost feel as if I didn’t choose photography; but it choose me.  I was working in the financial-insurance industry, working way too many hours in what I felt was a negative environment. My work—life balance was way overweighted with life barely finding time for family, and having no time for friends. The negative feelings were not just centered around work, but family life was struggling.  When you have no time to invest in family, how could it grow.  I felt as if I was killing myself for people I didn’t even know.  I missed being creative (I like to paint, sew and craft), I wasn’t feeling like myself at all. 

My response, I started investing in me, making me happy.  I would make time for the paddle board. I learned to scuba dive.  Then I learned to spearfish.  I went on hikes, rode my bike everywhere...and along the way I got happier but I wasn’t feeling myself at work still.  About this time, my father’s dementia started getting really bad. He stopped talking, it became a rare occurrence, and we found he would sit and watch YouTube videos or look at photos all the time.  When I would visit I would tell him all my adventures and he would perk up and ask what it looked like, to explain and relive my experiences. That’s when it came to me! I would get a go pro and I would video it all, and share the videos and photos with him.  

So I bought the GoPro Hero 10, and I took a time-lapse video of my paddle board trips, took videos of my dives and found me!  I loved to sit in front of my computer for hours perfecting the videos in DaVinci Resolve. I started watching videography and photography videos, fine-tuning my skills. Then it hit me! I need to learn this for real….this is who I am. So I bought my Canon R7, a couple of lenses, and started scouring the internet for courses to take.  That is when I found F.I.R.S.T. Institute’s Digital Photography Program. At 43, a change in career is not something you take lightly; but I needed it, wanted it, I mean this was my chance to be authentically me! So I signed up!  

     I worked for the first half of my courses, and boy was I getting burned out, but I had bills to pay! Throughout the coursework I learned a lot, and I grew along with my love for photography.  I came into the program thinking I just want to do wildlife and underwater photography; but as the classes went on, I loved it all: Fashion, Portrait, Landscape, Wildlife, Product, Editorial!! Oh Boy!  I was in heaven! My creativity was being challenged for the first time in forever and I was succeeding and loving it! 

     I finally realized for the first time what I wanted to do.  I wanted to spread the beauty of the world. Beauty comes from so many outlets, and many do not take the time to recognize it. I want to change that. I want people to know that no matter what you are going through there is beauty.  There is beauty in tears, beauty in laughter, in nature, and in yourself. So, when asked why I became a photographer there are many answers, but really they all boil down to being able to share the beauty of the world in a creative and fulfilling way.