How did I get here???

Reflecting on the journey of my fascination with photography, it's evident in the thousands of printed photos filling albums, boxes, and chests since the 1980s that it has been a lifelong interest of mine. While I can't pinpoint the exact moment when my love affair began, I believe it traces back to an experience at about the age of 7—a moment that would shape my perception of the world and set the course for my creative journey.

It started on a modeling assignment for a television commercial. Surrounded by a myriad of lights, cameras, and monitors, I found myself immersed in a world of visual storytelling. However, despite being in front of the camera, I never felt entirely at ease. Instead, my curiosity was piqued by the individuals behind the lens, observing with keen interest. It was here that I first began to cultivate my own "eye" for photography.

Those formative years taught me invaluable lessons—not just about myself, but also about the intricate nuances of lighting, composition, and perspective. I absorbed every detail, from the subtle placement of hands and limbs to the play of shadows and highlights. Armed with this newfound understanding, I was on a journey of self-discovery, with my camera becoming a frequent and favorite companion.

As an introvert, photography was a place where I could seek solace and reverence and the ability to recharge myself.

My photography became a reflection of my innermost passions and values—an ode to nature, an organic lifestyle, the beauty of imperfection and a slowing sense of being. Whether that was exploring the countryside, coastal regions, other countries or capturing the simple moments of everyday life.

Photography provided me with a means of self-expression, a source of inspiration, and a conduit for expressing my otherwise introverted self. As I continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of photography, one thing remains constant: my unwavering passion for capturing the beauty of the world in all its myriad forms.

In more recent years, my skills took a different shape in the form of product photography, because that’s what the companies I worked for wanted and needed, but it wasn’t necessarily the role I sought out. Initially, I found it a lot less interesting to be standing in front of a lightbox, but thankfully that lasted a very short time when I had to shoot mirror-finished stainless steel objects, glass bottles or reflective packaging & brand labels. All of a sudden that challenged me in entirely new ways as someone who had always worked by the grace of natures natural light. Now, I had to find my way around the addition and extraction of artificial lighting - top lit, bottom lit, and reflections were the bane of my existence. Getting color tones of products to match reality after editing. Let’s just say, it was and is a complex process and I learn something new every day. Sometimes I have to admit to myself and others that I just haven’t master a skill yet and have to turn down a job, but, it doesn’t stop my curiosity and quest to develop further so I can delivery on what a client wants and needs.

What I found over the last several years, was I was being asked more often to create content where I couldn’t necessarily find what I needed. So, I began taking and amassing a large collection of stock photos and decided to start to upload them at Shutterstock for others to also be able to use for their own creative pursuits. Whether it is a business customer looking for content for internal communication projects (i.e. newsletters, flyers, team building or reward programs) or content creators who need easy and instant access to a wide variety of royal free photos. That’s what Shutterstock is for. If that sounds like something you need or know of someone who does, free feel to share my Shutterstock link https://www.shutterstock.com/en/g/cakjak?rid=424049967 It will not cost you or anyone else more money, but Shutterstock does reward contributors for referral that generate purchases and for that I would be grateful to anyone who subscribes and purchases any of the talented contributors photos through my link.

And lastly, I know I have several talented photography friends. If you’re interested in hearing how I got approved, what my results are, and some realistic expectations and advice, reach out and I’ll share them with you privately. If you want to dip your toes into trying to be a Shutterstock contributor yourself, sign up with this link: https://submit.shutterstock.com/?rid=424049967&language=en Here too, it will cost you nothing (there are absolutely no fees to being a contributor), but Shutterstock rewards referrals and once a referred contributors sells their photos on their site I can get a few cents too.

Sometimes, it takes a village to make something of yourself doing what you love and enjoy …. and you are my clan so thanks for following, encouraging and supporting in any way you can.

Taking Back My Voice

Or I could have titled this just as easily - “It’s Personal, but don’t take it Personally”.

There are many different types in this world — different faces, different mindsets, different abilities, different personalities and more than 7 billion different voices.

Mine is just one voice, but it is mine.

And yet, my voice had felt a little less my own for some years. But one thing has always been true from the very onset of my being. I’m a creative type with a huge imagination and a playful spirit that hasn’t been playful at all in years.

It was not anyone’s fault nor had it been my voice that suddenly betrayed me, it was me that betrayed my voice. I let it disappear and become silent and a little laissez faire. I’m more introvert than extrovert … actually, there is nothing extroverted about me. On the Myers-Briggs Personality Type tests administered to me, the I and E indicators had some significant space between them on the scale. So, some might imagine personality wise perhaps, shrinking into a backdrop, making myself small and moving unnoticed could just be a natural result in losing my voice.

It is almost a year ago, I stood with my hands in a dear friends as she looked me in the eyes and I vowed to take back my life. I have. I’m still an introvert, but in doing so, I’ve begun to hear my voice a little more, and as I did …. Well, I liked it.

I liked not being afraid of being honest about how I felt. I liked feeling empowered again. I liked my actual voice.

Taking Back My Voice is more than a hashtag or blog title though as I realized my voice was very clearly and precisely leading me back to myself. That playful, creative, interesting, independent voice I lost somewhere between Milwaukee, Kathmandu, Copenhagen, Berlin, Oslo and the more than 60+ other places between them and the little town I currently live.

I realize that this new path is not something you do on a whim and that not everyone who has a pleasant voice can make it on radio, tv, or online using it. Until this year, I had not even realized there was a career choice in voice over or narration work. However, once I opened my ears, it is now the first thing that registers when I’m seeing or hearing anything on tv, radio or online. Voice over work and narration all of a sudden resonated with me in a way I haven’t felt in a long time.

It feels right. It feels scary. Right now, as I begin and am practicing and listening and applying techniques … It feels like bloody hard work and it IS hard work. It feels like the biggest risk of my life and a huge challenge. And that brings me straight back to …. It feels right.

But at some point I had to either commit or just keep hearing myself through my headphones while sitting in a room all alone wondering if I had what it takes to make it on this path.

I believe I do, so as of right now, I’m Taking Back My Voice and applying it, practicing with it, improving it, growing it and using it for a career in voice over and narration.

For my immediate family and friends who may have just read this wondering … What? Did you ever believe I’d seriously retire? And, no, I haven’t quit my day job … YET!