I was reminiscing this morning about my beginning as a photographer and thought I'd share my story with you.
I had spent 3 years after leaving school in Oxford working for a High Street bank. I really enjoyed my time there but knew it wasn't for me. I went back to college to study Hotel Catering and Management and again soon realised it wasn't the right path for me.
I was at a loss! I didn't know what I wanted to do as a career, so I made a bold decision and said I'd travel until I discovered what I wanted to do with myself!
I had long lost family living on the other side of the world so I decided I'd start there, Australia.
I went with my girlfriend at the time and set out for her relatives in Adelaide. We had the time of our lives! Deep blue skies, hot weather and the most amazing scenery I had ever scene. It was the right place to find inspiration for sure!
I had always wanted to visit Australia, there was such a pull for me. Have you ever had that?
We were lucky enough to have relatives in both Adelaide and Sydney our own age. We travelled along The Great Ocean road from Adelaide to Melbourne and saw the stunning Blue Mountains and many other wonderful sights.
I was a frequent visitor to the local photo lab printing my many reels of photos. I couldn't take enough. That's when the penny dropped, I loved taking photos.
When I returned home I set my sights on becoming a professional photographer in Oxford. Luckily my girlfriend's mother had spotted an advertised job in a portrait studio in Oxford and I went straight there. I was offered the job under the condition I would cut off my long hair! The hair went and my photographic career began.