As I write this, I have just finished up my latest stint in advertising. Though the timing of my exit was outside my control, the idea of it was something that had been simmering for months. I had just been waiting for the right time. Perhaps too scared to make the jump on my own.

As I write this, I face a huge crossroads. The possibilities are endless. I’m setting out to be a photographer, but who knows where I’ll end up in a year?

I get to write my own story. I get to choose who I work with (if I so have the luxury). I don’t need to live my life on autopilot anymore.

Autopilot. Predictable. Comfortable. That’s how my life has felt over the past few years. I get up in the morning, (I go to the gym,) I go to work, I go home, I make dinner, I watch TV, I go to bed. Rinse and repeat. If I do that long enough, I might get a pay rise or a promotion.

Don’t get me wrong, I have learned some priceless, valuable lessons along the way. That is what has led me to this moment.

It’s time to take these lessons and skills and jump into the unknown.

So, why am I doing photography?

I’m on a mission to show how amazing and enjoyable life can be. It doesn’t have to be “same old, same old” anymore. You might hire a photographer for special milestones like weddings or engagements or birthdays, but I’m here to show all of it — the in-betweens, the subtle moments. The tear that escapes when you realise how spectacular it is that everyone you love is in the same room, at the same time.

I believe there’s so much more to a scene than what is happening in front of you. The person behind the lens has just as much involvement in the storytelling as the subjects themselves. And so my style finds home in the principles of cinematography. (I’m just a sucker for how they do it in the movies.)

Why now?

Those close to me will know that I have had photography as a hobby for many years. Though on and off, it has stayed and evolved with me. I started out doing travel photography — I guess it’s the easiest to get into without bothering anyone. But I really only felt inspired whenever I was somewhere new, somewhere different. And then, in what I can only call a freak of nature (because I cannot stress enough how heavily introverted I am), I discovered the beauty and depth of photographing people. Because people are dynamic, you never know what you’re going to get. And I love that about walking into a shoot. Yes, I prep and do my research, I come in with a few ideas and bullet points. But everyone interprets it differently. That’s when I realised my well will never run dry when I work with people. When I bring their stories to life, in that particular moment.

Photo of myself by Patty Lagera