Hello Beautiful People!
I have been working with so many new people these last few weeks and everyone has been asking me this question so I thought I would do a blog on how I go into photography for all of the new people joining my journey!
I first began to have an interest in photography during my grade 10 year of high school. I had to choose two classes to gain credits for graduating and I had 3 choices: Computers, Art or Photography. I was already taking a computer course and didn’t want two back to back classes of computers. Art? Well I can’t draw. So all that was left was photography. I remember thinking to myself ‘Photography is so easy, all you do is click a button. This will be simple.’ Boy was I wrong! I had no idea how hard photography was but during that first class I was intrigued and wanted to learn more.
That entire semester I couldn’t wait for my beginner photography class. Every day I would count down the hours until it was time for class! I couldn’t stop thinking of photography and what we were going to learn each lesson. Once that semester was over I remember my lovely photography teacher Ms. Price saying she would do an after school class if any of us were interested. I immediately wanted to be a part of that class. What teenager wants to stay after school? NOT MANY! I finished my intermediate course in photography the second semester in grade 10.
Grade 11 came along and I took the advanced course of photography. When it was time in Grade 12 to pick a credit course, I had completed the three photography courses so I could have a spare. But I wanted to keep learning. So, Ms. Price created an ‘Advanced +1’ course for me. I learned more photoshop and I absolutely fell in love with it. I remember during parent teacher interviews that Ms. Price told my parents that I had a natural talent for photography. She encouraged my parents to get me a camera and thus my first ever Canon, the Canon 40D. I named her Chanel (and she is still on my shelf!)
When it came time for everyone in grade 12 to start thinking of college or university, everyone was going to be a doctor or a teacher some even lawyers. I can’t count how many times I got scoffed at or not taken seriously because I wanted to do photography. But I am so glad I did. When people found out I was going to apply to Grant MacEwan College, because it was a college at that time, I was laughed at and mocked.
I took a year off to work so I could pay for University myself and was finally accepted into Grant MacEwan University (because it became a university that year ha!) I enrolled in the Design Studies program. I remember the photography classes were full and I was so crushed that they put me in Motion Image for my second year. But if enough people dropped out I would be pushed up on the list. I think I was 3rd or 4th on the list. Every night of that first year, I prayed and prayed. And luckily by the end of the first year 4 people had chosen to change their major and I was enrolled into photography.
Now fashion photography wasn't on my agenda, I never thought I would choose this path. But that’s another story ;)
Until next time!
Lisa-Marie xo