Photography
I start with photography because there have been great strides in this area. The Shutter Release Project was an amazing event to be a part of. I didn't win the grand prize but at the same time I didn't expect to. The reason I decided to participate in the event was to meet other photographers, see there work and see how my work is compared to theirs. What I learned is that I am a good photographer. Through nothing but trial and error I have learned many key photographic concepts such as lighting and shot composition. The judges were very impressed with my work considering the short amount of time I have been involved in the craft and I received some great compliments on a few of my shots. I was also able to meet a few very good photographers and implement parts of their style into my work. The organizers of the event are planning on having a Shutter Release about 3 times a year and I have offered to help plan and organize future events. This will allow me to get to know even more photographers while learning the nuances of event planning. I still have much to learn in the world of photography but this was an awesome stepping stone and something I am eternally grateful to have been a part of.
Fitness
This was an area of my life that was starting to drag a little bit. My trainer, Crazy Eyed Ellen, moved back to Washington state over a month ago and I wasn't able to start with a new trainer until 2 days ago. However, the longest period of time I went without a gym visit was only about a week and a half. During this time I have also started adding cardio to my routine and I am already seeing great results. Over the course of the last week I have been killing it at the gym. I have incredible motivation right now. I also started with my new trainer a couple of days ago and he was brutal. My legs have not been sore like this for a long time. I am really going to like working with him. All in all I have my eyes on my weight loss goal and I am going to achieve it.
God
God has been doing a great work in me over the course of the last few weeks. I was going through a serious spiritual dry spell around the time of the Shutter Release. There were a couple of weeks where I didn't want to go to church and when I was at church I was completely shut off. On a daily basis I was being filled with anger for not reason in particular. Last week everything clicked right back into place. There was a guest speaker at our church that has been there several times before that I really like. The whole sermon it was like he was speaking directly to me. I bought his book and after a few chapters I really started to feel my outlook on my life change. Our worship was incredible last week as well. We sang an amazing song list that got everyone in the church pumped up for the Lord. Great experience.
Rando
So, given everything that has happened, what does this all mean for Rando? Over the course of the last month I have really grown to hate my job. It isn't that I am not grateful for having one but I just don't feel right with what I am doing. I was not built to sit at a desk all day and talk to people on the phone. Although I am good at it my job is far from my passion. On top of that I sit next to a bunch of people in their 20's without college degrees that make the same amount of money as me. Needless to say I am looking for a new job. I am hoping to get a job at Arizona State University's West campus since I went to school there and it is so close to my home. I have applied for 3 jobs there so hopefully something will work out. If that doesn't work I will continue my search. This next job is only going to be temporary though. I am calling it my bridge job. It's purpose is to bridge the gap between my first 8 years of full time employment that has left me unsatisfied and at times totally depressed to my true passion of photography. As of this week I am starting my plan of being a professional photographer. There are way too many signs that this is the direction my life is supposed to go. First of all, I didn't even have to buy my camera. It was given to my as a Christmas gift from my mom. Second, I didn't have to purchase any lenses for it. My dad gave me 7 old lenses he used when he was a photographer that fit my camera and take amazing pictures. Third, I love the photo editing process. You can do some amazing things when you edit and I love paying attention to those details. Fourth, I seem to have good natural ability when it comes to photography. I have a well trained eye and am very patient when I look at my raw photos to see if there is something special in the image. Lastly, photography is my true passion. I think about taking pictures constantly. When I am driving around the city I see things that I will drive back to later with my camera to photograph it. I have a dream of capturing the essence of everything I photograph and will someday capture an image that will be seen by people around the world that will change the way they view themselves and their surroundings. I am ready for the world to see my vision and know what I am about. My vision of simplicity. That is exactly what I am going to name my business, Vision of Simplicity Photography. When you do what you love, what you love will reward you. My next step is to learn the art of portrait photography so I can start off with that. I already have some family members that are going to allow me to practice with them. I have also started doing some reading on the subject and learning the nuances. This is going to be an incredible adventure and I know I will be successful.
