Early one morning in April I was settling into my routine of signing on to Twitter and reviewing my favourite blogs when I received an email from David duChemin who was co-leading a workshop in Italy. It was one of those “Wish you were here” emails which normally makes me want to board a plane and get to wherever “here” is but this email was different. It had me glued to my seat. Before I go any further with this story, I should really rewind.
If you are a regular reader of my blog, my acquaintence with David is pretty much well-documented here. You can read about the first time I met him in person here–complete with one of my favourite photographs by my friend Mark Olwick who I also met for the first time that day. Before that I was a silent reader of David’s blog until I decided to leave a comment and that’s chronicled here. Months later I was off to Kenya on a socially responsible safari with David and the rest as they say, is history.
Living in Vancouver where David resides, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know him and we’ve become friends. Still it came as a surprise to me when, in his email, David asked me if I’d be interested in doing a Twitter feed under the Craft and Vision banner. The idea was to focus on photographic education and resources in addition to introducing photographers to the C&V eBooks and authors. After some questions and deliberation on my part, and a few more emails back and forth, we sealed the deal and launched the Craft and Vision presence on Twitter while David was still in Italy. As you probably know Craft and Vision has now branched out to being on Facebook where we hope people will engage in discussions on the eBooks as well as other photography topics.
When I started out on my journey to learn photography, I never would have believed that this is where I would be today. Even if you had asked me a year ago if I’d be working with a world class photographer, I would have laughed at the suggestion. David is not only a talented photographer, he is a brilliant writer and he is innovating in this market where it has become increasingly difficult to make living never mind a life in photography (to borrow a few words from his book Visionmongers). Most days I wake up and can’t believe that I’m part of a publishing company that brings incredible educational resources to ordinary people learning photography like me. It is as Mark Olwick said in his post, sometimes success isn’t what you thought it would be. There is no map for the journey; you make your own path. It’s about being authentic and letting people see who you are as a person. You’ll attract those who share your values and way of seeing the world. Advice from Beate Dalbec to take a chance means be open to whatever is around the corner or in the next email.
I have to be honest and say that when David first approached me, I had my doubts that I was the right person for the job. After all I’m in Human Resources and when we staff we look for the best qualified candidate but David convinced me that I was his choice for a number of reasons. Friends who share my passion for photography were also very supportive. As Stuart Sipahigil shared in his post, if you have people who are in your corner, they encourage you to put aside those doubts and take a leap of faith. It’s no coincidence that when I read Maureen Murphy’s definition of success, I find the same ingredients in my own journey–family, friends, learning, and contributing to the lives of others. I just never expected that expressing myself would include not only my photographs but also my words. Both of these aspects reflect your own personal voice and success on the journey will depend on discovering it.
This is the final post in my mini-series on finding success on the photography journey. I’d like to thank Mark, Beate, Stuart, and Maureen for sharing their stories. I still do the happy dance when I think of what has come your way. You deserve it not just because you’ve worked hard but also because success couldn’t have happened to four nicer people. To the readers of my blog, I hope you enjoyed hearing about their experiences and that you find encouragement for your own journey. I wish you much success and who knows one day I might be contacting you to share your story!
The great thing about a journey is that you never really know what adventures it will bring! Each step brings us not closer to the destination but closer to ourselves.
Sabrina,
Congrats. What a wonderful opportunity for you. I’m sincerely excited for you.
Thanks Sabrina for reminding us why we do what we do. The laws of attraction are certainly at work here. Through you and through David – I have been lucky to ‘meet’ many other people who share the values and attitudes that I admire. I am learning much from you.
Photography is about much more that making a living or having a hobby. My life is rewarding and rich and friends like you just make it richer. You totally are the right person for the Craft and Vision thing and are doing a great job. Your words are eloquent and the photographs creative and thought/discussion provoking – thanks for that
Maureen
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Olwick. Mark Olwick said: RT @rlkphoto: My friend @SabrinaHenry sucess story of her own http://tinyurl.com/32mj758 -don't miss this one
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Sabrina, thank you for sharing your journey to where you are today. Hopefully, your future will become brighter and brighter with many more fun filled opportunities to learn and grow as a photographer.
In addition, I can’t tell you how much I enjoy reading your blog as it inspires me to keep doing what I love to do in my spare time which is photography.
David was certainly right – you are the right person for the Craft and Vision thing. And as Maureen was saying, photography is more than just photography itself. It brings like-minded people together.
Thank you for letting me be a part of this wonderful series of guest bloggers.
I so “recognise myself” in your comment -
When I started out on my journey to learn photography, I never would have believed that this is where I would be today
When you keep your heart open to new possibilities who knows what new opportunities will come your way
I have to echo Maureen’s comments here, Sabrina. It’s not just about photography, but life—serendipitously the subject of David’s newest post on his blog. You’ve done a great job reaching out to the community and asking us to come along for the ride.
It’s people like you and David and Jeffrey and Mark and Maureen and Beate and John and Ray and so many others that are sharing their journey that give confidence and hope to many of us that follow along.
Congratulations on your success, and thanks for sharing your ‘chronicles’ along the way.
And I love the ride too!!
Echoing the positive thoughts here about this series and your future work and no doubt success with the Craft and Vision Twitter presence — continued good fortune.
Thank you all for your kind comments but more importantly for being a part of my life every day. I am learning because you take the time to stop by my blog to share your experiences and opinions and to give me encouragement. I can’t think of a better group of people to be on this journey with me.
Sabrina
oxo
Sabrina, I have been a long-time lurker on this blog. I am coming out of hiding to thank you for your generosity, wisdom and talent. I feel both out of my league here and inspired to be better. I am so grateful for the community you bring together. I wish you only the best on your journey.
David’s instincts about you and Craft & Vision were spot on as far as I can tell.
I’ve been a bit low lately and it’s been great reading your success series. It’s heartening to know that you don’t have to be a dog-eating dog to get somewhere with photography.
Thank you for sharing everyone’s stories with us Sabrina!
Sabrina – it’s amazing to see the hub that you have become through your passion for learning and willingness to be a conduit. I look at the people that have commented here and chuckle to think that I’ve met most of them at one point and become close friends, through this potentially impersonal medium of the internet – it’s the connections you make and share that enrich us all. I’ve travelled to Italy with Eli, had dinner with Jeffrey in Bangkok, Italy, New York. I’ve been on game drives and talked wine in Kenya with Maureen and had breakfast poolside in Nairobi with Beate. John Batdorff and I have had time together online for mentoring. It’s truly amazing. Anyways, makes me chuckle to see these connections all converging in one place and that happens because people love and respect you. Thanks for taking us on this journey with you.
See you for coffee at the office tomorrow?
(World Class Photographer…hee hee. You’re funny
)
Oh, forgot Stuart. He and I were in Italy together too. And I’m travelling to Kathmandu with him this fall. And he’s currently building the new Craft & Vision website, so he’s on the team too! It’s a tiny, tiny, world, isn’t it?
I’m working backwards on the posts that I’ve missed and I didn’t realize you were working with David duChemin on the Craft & Vision project. That is so cool! It’s so awesome when you see your dreams realized and take major steps in the direction of your goals (whatever they may be). Here is a belated congratulations to you – and so far I think you’ve been doing great on the Twitter feed!
I attended David’s class this weekend on creativeLIVE and I just found it so inspiring! He is definitely an amazing photography and a nice person so it’s great that you get to work with him!
Congrats again!