My trip out West has officially come to an end. Though I’m the first to admit that goodbyes are not my style, this trip does feel like a goodbye. Of sorts.
When I decided to come visit my family for an extended period of time, I gave myself a homework assignment… cue, nerd alert! The truth is I wanted my experience here to show me something about myself I didn’t know; to teach me something about myself that I hadn’t learned yet; to uncover a lesson or two about the person I hope to be. And yes, this all goes without saying, I obviously wanted to have fun too!
So what did my homework assignment produce?
In between the excitement of meeting lots of new people, photographing such wonderful clients, and establishing a few friendships that I could never have anticipated, I compiled a new mantra for this chapter of my life. Back in April on my birthday I touched on the life lesson I learned about starting a new chapter of living, and how in order to do so, I must not keep rehashing the past. This mantra is an extension of that lesson, a snapshot of what I think is invariably important.
Here it is: Be a voice not an echo. The body achieves what the mind believes. A funny thing happens when you keep putting one foot in front of the other: you get somewhere. Apologize – ten minutes or ten years from now it may not matter to you, but it will to someone. Trust that life sometimes brings you what you need at the expense of what you want. Greed is good, particularly when it is about spending time with people you love. The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.
Starting my photography company just over a year ago, in many ways, was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. One where I accepted more control over my actions, and in turn, how I would share my happiness with others. So with that said, this trip is not the end of a chapter, but rather the end of a page. And I am so excited to turn the page to see what’s next… more travelling, more photography, and more memories!
Photography Tip: Be prepared. Before I continue, I’d like to say that every session has helped me along the way, and without a doubt, I’m still learning what’s needed in my camera bag. So here’s a starting point that works for me. My advice is to prepare a camera bag that will ease your mind while on a job. If that means you know you need a piece of gum every half hour to keep you calm, store a gum pack or two in your bag. If the fear of batteries going kaput during a session is always on your mind, pack extra batteries… and then some more, just to be safe. I’m not suggesting to bring a kitchen and bathroom with you, but be prepared so that mentally and creatively you are calm and ready for (almost) anything that may pop up during your session. Trust me, anything can pop up, but your mental preparation is half the battle. Now as for the bag, in addition to the absolute essentials (lenses, batteries, chargers and memory cards), I added the following to my camera bag over time: flash (to help out when my lovely natural light is hiding), a lens cleaner (arguably an essential), a plastic cover for lenses to be used in windy/light rain scenarios, extra memory cards and extra batteries, an extra protective lens filter (in addition to the ones already on my lenses), a sparkly toy to draw childrens’ attention, ziploc bag, unused bobby pins, pack of gum, and business cards. One thing I’m sure of is that with more sessions, I’ll discover more needs that will require solutions… and those solutions will inevitably be placed in my bag. Happy packing!
Filed under: Weekly Challenge Tagged: achievement, apologize, believes, birthday, body, camera bag, canada, chapter, decide, destined, destiny, essentials, expense, funny thing, good, greed, life, living, mantra, matter, mind, person, photography, photography tip, prepare, solutions, spend time, travel, trust, Vikki Christina Maria Photography, voice, west
