:: A series of events.... :: - My life in focus

"To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don't worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest" - unknown

There were a series of events that led to my fancy with photography.  Here's the breakdown, in the order it happened.
First, I peruse my best friends pictures from a trip to Peurto Rico. She had captured it from so many interesting angles. A picture of a rock in the sand. Which she paired next to a scene of her running on the beach. She made me gaze at photography in a whole new way. This peaked my interest.

Next, I heard a lot of chatter about a "new camera" that my uncle had bought and how it made pictures "look like they were out of a magazine." After a brief inspection of the goods first hand and the pictures it produced, I was hooked. Now I just had to afford this camera and it's gear and justify the cost. I had to learn how to use it and do something with it. Easy, right? Wrong. I couldn't afford it and if others were taking bets, I would use it for like a month tops and then on to the next thing. To my surprise, my sweet parents started the chain of reaction. They bought me my first DSLR with the only expectation  being that I shoot photos of their growing grandson. 

This led to what really set things in motion for me. I was browsing photography sites and came upon a site by a fabulous photographer who was making waves in the industry. Jasmine Star.  I spent a straight 4 - 5 hours looking at her site. I must have read all the entries in one sitting. She wrote from her heart and I think I related to almost every post in some way. It was like someone was writing my own journey and struggles with photography. She talked about her life, wanting to give up, and then feeling encouraged again. About meeting people in the industry and filling her husbands head with everything she had learned along the way, and so on and so on. Most of it sounded so familiar to me. After, I felt a strange sense of empowerment and drive to push forward and actually try to make it happen. I started a blog and took pictures of people other than my son. I had never known what it was I  REALLY wanted to do with my career. I always had every other facet figured out. Love - no problem, Rajesh and I found each other. Kids, I had my beautiful baby boy. I finally, now had found my drive for career. 

So anyways, I rambled on like this to explain the next picture. Of all people, Jasmine Star is having a contest. Post a self portrait and include a star somewhere in it. I don't usually win contests but this is one that I couldn't pass up. After all, she is a link in the chain that led to where I am today. So here is my take on self portraiture. With a star. 

oh and the contest is to win a seat at her next workshop in New Zealand! Fingers crossed :)

*****Edited to add: I had to drop out of the contest unfortunately. I am unable to get to New Zealand so I didn't want to stay in and take someone else's seat if I actually won. :( I'm sad but everything happens for a reason right?