The Courage of Melanie.
Hello all.
Two other photographers have written stunning words on their blogs about why they shoot photographs. This was a question that was posed to about 150 photographers in the conference that I went to last week for the Professional Photographers of Canada-Alberta Chapter. The answer was clear as crystal to me….but my answer will come after you see my history. Since I had to take basic English in college three times, I can only hope that you can understand why I do what I do and why I love it.
I have a colourful history in the arts category!
As soon as I graduated from high school I was accepted into Technical Theatre at Red Deer College. Technical Theatre (for those who do not know) is the back stage stuff. I learned about lights, sound, carpentry, design, makeup, history and stage management. It turns out that this was not only the tiny beginnings for photography but it helped me to learn about deadlines, time limitations, dealing with stress under pressure and courage. YES, it taught me to be courageous and to go for anything that you want and desire. I was taught this very quickly when a professor in the class immediately assumed that I would traveling with my boyfriend at the time to a production of Phantom of the Opera-with a snicker. I simply told my professor and my classmates that I intended to go to Phantom of the Opera with my girlfriends and that it was wrong for him to assume that since I am dating someone does not make me want to go with other people and experience things.
Courage has also taken me to some fabulous places around the world. I applied to work on cruise lines as a entertainment staff or as cruise ship staff. It turned out that they were short of female photographers and when I put on my resume that photography was my hobby-the staff put it in the photography mailbox. In 1999 I was hired on Princess Cruises as a cruise ship photographer…my only expereince with an SLR (film) was with an old Pentax K1000 that I had purchased and mucked around with from time to time.
Now before everyone gets WAY too excited and asks questions about the ship and what it was like let me say this. Yes, I traveled to many places, I met many friends of different nationalities, I worked really hard, harder than any other job that I had ever been in and the money was great-but on my last contract I was NOT happy. I was lost and afraid as my lack of training was starting to show and no matter how much I read in between contract of the numerous books that I bought-I still was making mistakes. I was hired on Princess Cruises solely on my personality. The lack of knowledge in photography caused a huge rift between upper management and I. I then was a scapegoat for everything that went wrong.
I remember while shooting portraits on a formal night while taking over for my manager as he wanted to have a small break. I shot passenger after passenger after passenger. The same 3 poses: woman’s hand on husbands chest, man holding woman’s hand, and both woman and man with arms at their side. I had this thought after I had done it over and over and over again. “There is more to photography than what I do here. This is my last contract”. As soon as I disembarked from the ship I immediately enrolled at the NAIT photography program.
That was 8 years ago since the last contract. Lots of things have happened to me since then. Every time I pick up that piece of equipment I still do wonder what more there is to photography that I need to learn and explore. What else I CAN I find in the camera in the particular day of a photo shoot. It could be a baby is brought to me to record its tiny toes, the mischievous smile of a toddler, the shy and aloof teenager, the love of a man and a woman or man with his partner and a woman with hers.
– It takes courage for people to come to me and get their photograph taken.
–It is my courage that makes me decide on the difficult choices in life and career and it takes me farther than before in this field.
–It is my courage that makes me go forward.
–It is my courage, that is I think without a doubt one of the best assets I can ever have and remain as a photographer.
With love and until next week.
Melanie
PS. Without the love and support from fellow photographers and they know who they are…I would not be the photographer I am today. A special thanks to my husband and daughter who are my rays of light. I love you with all my heart and you inspire me every day to be the best that I can. To my family in Canada and abroad. I love you.
Self portrait
