Friday, February 27, 2009

Genesis...


Welcome to the first post.

In the coming weeks I hope to share with you the journey I am taking to realise a dream that I have been cherishing for the past 2 years; to turn a love of photography and people into a thriving business.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone who has helped me get to this point. I firmly belive that I would be nowhere if it was not for a few amazing photographers and friends who believe so wholeheartedly in sharing their experience and knowledge.
I am embarking on a journey of my own, and I believe that the experiences to come may benefit other aspiring photographers.
This blog was created to share these experiences, and in some ways keep the free exchange of knowledge going.

I never planned on loving photography. Truth be told I never even had a camera until I was 21, and even then the cost of film and developing meant that I only took the odd happy snap when I felt obliged to.
As far as earning money from a camera, well nothing could have been further from my mind. It was medicine all the way, with hopes of specialising in orthopaedic surgery at some point.
The idea of earning a second income whilst practicing medicine would have been treated as the ludicrous notion it is!

However, fate often has some strange surprises in store for us, and so it was in 2005 when I received a call from a colleague asking if I was interested in flying to Maputo (Mozambique) as Nelson Mandela’s doctor. Who would decline an offer like that?

I had always planned on buying an entry level DSLR, and the prospect of such an amazing trip (and my first foray beyond South Africa’s borders) convinced me to take the plunge and buy a Canon 350D.

And everything just grew from there.

I bided my time in camera clubs, learning from those who were willing to teach, and honing my own skills.

Add a marriage, a sudden move to a country half way around the world and a steady collection of gear, and 3 years later I found myself loving my time behind a camera enough to try and turn the passion into an income.

The question was just, how the hell do you do this?

There were just way too many questions that needed answers, and honestly, I have been spending the better part of the last few months slowly getting things together.

This blog was born out of a need to record the steps I took, both as a reminder to myself and as a source of help and encouragement to others travelling the same road.

Starting a business from scratch, especially with no prior experience, is an arduous task.
If what I have learnt can help someone else, then I will share that knowledge gladly.
I often find myself in a deeply negative frame of mind because of the lack of progress.
Keeping track of what has been achieved (while practicing medicine) has helped keep me aware of the work that has been done.
Abstract, intangible gains are hard to take stock of. Knowing that you’ve actually achieved something is a reward in itself.

So here follows a collection of musings and experiences – the steps I took, questions I got answers to, problems I tackled.

I hope it helps you.

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