The picture below is of my grandfather. He reinvented himself many times in his life, from door to door soap salesman, to car dealer, and by the time I was growing up, he had transitioned to a wedding photographer. I remember when I was young, sometimes he would invite me to help him with a wedding and I loved it. Being part of such a special occasion seemed like a gift, and my interest in photography started to take root.

As fascinated as I was however, my attention had already been captivated by a much stronger passion. In fact, I had decided at the age of 12 that I would study Psychology, and I was unwavering in that goal while earning two degrees. I then went on to dedicate almost two decades in the fields of Counseling and Social Services. During that time however, I found myself time and time again returning to photography. My love of photography seemed to help balance the stress of my career, and eventually the scales started to tip in a new direction.

With time I realized that my eye for capturing photographs had a lot to do with my fascination with human nature. A picture steals a moment in time, capturing forever: a smile, a giggle, a love; moments of celebration. Whereas counseling often captured the opposite: a struggle, a tear, a broken heart. I came to understand that I didn’t need to choose, that my two lifelong passions could work in harmony together. I could use my deep understanding of human nature to capture the best moments in life.

So thank you grandpa for introducing me to photography, and teaching me it is never too late to reinvent yourself.