Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Career Moves
"Being a psychologist would be fun, but..." --I philosophised as I sat on my Mom's lap pondering my future career path after an intense day of discussion in Mrs. Hosman's first grade classroom--




"I don't want people to call me a shrink." {Even at the age of seven, I was already entirely too self-conscious!}




"I could be a veterinarian. and playing with animals would be fun. but I could NOT put them to sleep."


Now, this conversation comes to mind frequently (just a few years later) as I still seek to create career utopia by weaving a photography business into my career life while maintaining my work in law. (My Mom, by the way, gave me amazing advice as always that day!) Maintaining the two does keep me incredibly busy, but pursuing my passion also keeps a fresh smile on hand.

Asking any one of my playfully annoyed friends--blinded by my camera's flash throughout the years--would confirm this fact: photography has been a huge part of my life and a pervasive element of my (also huge--in number, not in size) family. In fact, in my family, if my Mom wasn't there to take a picture of it, it didn't happen! :) So, it seems that my entire life has been on the job training for this giant and exciting step.

I still vividly remember my first photo expedition with my Dad (the most patient man in all the land!). I was 8 and you would have thought I was on assignment for National Geographic. I studied my Dad's every move as he examined the light and manipulated the settings on his manual Canon SLR camera. (Of course, at that time, my "gear" was not quite as sophisticated, but I "adjusted the settings" nonetheless. I'm sure there was some button that actually needed to be pushed.) ;)




No limitation of equipment could have suppressed the joy that came from capturing and interpreting a moment in time that still to this day (again, just a few years later) evokes an emotion and presents its own story through imagery. So beautiful. Now, I won't pretend that the pro gear I own now doesn't make the experience a little more joyful....;) (I might have a bit of a crush on my camera!)

So, in my pursuit to have it all in my career life, I'll keep my career in the law, and I continue to pray for direction over this new venture. But something inside of me won't let me stop from making this move. (I actually love that something inside of me.) So here's introducing: Courtney Sprague Photography!

Here goes everything...