It’s time.
Well, it’s been time for a while now, but it’s time for the big announcement.
I have officially retired from full time professional photography as of July, and I’m so, so happy about it. The freedom I feel is amazing. I didn’t quite hit the 15 year mark, but I’m okay with that. The time was right.
Many of those closest to me know that I’ve actually been trying to leave the industry since around 2016, and then of course four years later we had The Event which has changed the course of all of our lives. I actually managed to really work on my health and stability, and I am feeling much more like myself than I have in a long time.
Photography taught me a lot about myself. After it taught me that it wasn’t my life-long passion, it also helped me find what it was. I owe a great deal to it, and I’m also glad to be done.
I want to thank all of my clientele through the years that helped make my career a big success, and to all the photographers I’ve coached and met when I worked at the Canada Photo Convention who found success too, I’m so grateful for you. Because of CPC, I found my true passion in working in events as an Event Manager. During the pandemic, I mourned events more than anything else, but found my way by working on my education, and I finished my NAIT Certificate in early 2023.
I had hoped to be able to announce a new job, but the timelines aren’t working out, so as a result I am having pretty much the best summer vacation of my life, complete with gardening indoors and out, camping, and defeating zombies in our latest D&D campaign.
FAQ:
Will you do any photography again?
In the near future, I have no plans to do any professional corporate or event photography — I put my full trust in Rebecca Paine, who has taken over the Admire Studios brand completely as of July and is doing a fantastic job. If I do any part time work again, it would be passion projects relating to women’s body empowerment called Personal Exploration sessions, as I have an ongoing project plan for this, but it’s not at the top of my list right now. I have a lot of other creative outlets that I want to pursue, like wreath making, rock painting, and plant propagation.
Why are you leaving entrepreneurship?
I threw up the Kool-Aid when it came to most of the “hustle culture” that comes with entrepreneurship. I want family, friends, and connection to the world more than I want active income, and passive income takes too much active work. It’s not worth it for me — or for most of the people I see in the game. It’s a way to speed through life without being present, for most. I don’t want to be a part of it anymore.
It is an absolutely terrible time to start most businesses in Alberta, and make no mistake, running most human-contact non-medical/food business after COVID is in some part starting a business. and I am pleased to be phasing out my business ownership over time in partnership with Rebecca, and I am certain she is on the path to a successful life that she chooses. I have in the past tried time management and photography coaching and education, but I really don’t believe those are my full time vocations, and I have far more passion for events.
Thank you to everyone who’s been supporting me along the crazy journey I’ve had so far, and thank you to all my clients. It’s been a great ride.
What’s next?
I am waiting to hear back about a job with a non-profit event venue, and I am very hopeful that they will choose me. In the unlikely event that that falls through, every week there’s 3–4 jobs posted in my field that I am well qualified for, so it’s really only a matter of time. That and a LOT of personal creative projects and what Paul and I like to call “Housepride” — decluttering, optimizing, and re-settling into our home. I also want to put some solid time into building community. And thrift shopping! And monster mashing in D&D, lest we forget that salient point. I’m trying to really live life to the fullest — something a younger me would be very proud of.
Here’s a lovely photo from the final wedding of my career, congrats to David and Amy!
