Smiles and A Nursing School Failure.

Stressed. Hmm, that's not the word I'm looking for. It's definitely way more than that. A big ol' mixture of stress, worry, fatigue, self-worth, totally overwhelmed...Well, you get the point. The past few days I have wrapped these feelings around me like a zebra print Snuggie.

Then I get an email.

An email from a client telling me why family photos are so important to them and how exciting it is to have ME as their photographer.  How it means so "much more than capturing a moment in time."

Emails like this. PEOPLE like this. Is why I love what I do. A couple years ago I was going to be a nurse. I started working in health care when I was 18 and really, there was no other option. My mom is a nurse, my Grandmother is a nurse, my sister-in-law is a nurse. So I was going to be a nurse too. Until I flunked out of nursing school. Twice. Not to say I didn't give it my all, because I did - blood, sweat, tears studying all night. It was so close, but not close enough.  I had failed myself, my family and my daughter. No need scraping the bottom of the barrel because I was already there. What was wrong? What now? People kept telling me I had a good eye. I had a certain way with the camera. . I remember sitting at a local pub with my dear nursing school family on the last day of class. We were talking about where I could display my work and how I could get business.  So I started to read. Alot. And shoot. A lot. I fell head-over-heels in love with photography.

My first paid photo session was with my nursing school instructor and her family.  Crazy, right?

Turns out you don't have to be a nurse to accomplish a goal of bringing people love, smiles and happiness. I am truly grateful to be doing what I love.