Swapping the stethoscope for the camera lens
MY BLOGGING JOURNEY
I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to write a post for the wonderful Aspire Photography Training who's blog has just been ranked in the top 100 photography blogs worldwide earlier this week!!! And in combination with this and the fact that I heard today that my own blog has made the short list for the Amara Interior Blog Awards for 'Best Colour Inspiration Blog' (excited.com!!) I thought I would share with you my post that I wrote about my own journey.
This is how I discovered my love for the photography and interior design world.
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Last Friday was my last day working as a small animal vet, a career which I have dedicated the majority of my life too since first announcing my decision as a determined seven year old.
wedding day photography
mairi helena photography scotland
dog photography scotland uk
Trip to the West Coast Outer Hebrides Scotland-74
photographer of textiles and knitwear in scotland
textiles scotland
Our Scottish luxury interior bedroom makeover-10
mairi helena luxury label from scotland
photographing scotland's landscapes
Trip to the West Coast Outer Hebrides Scotland-26
photographs of scottish landscapes
Coming from a family of artists and designers, I do still remember my parents quizzical looks. A vet? How bizarre, when my favourite subject at school by far was art & design.I blame it on my stubborn red-headed nature...or perhaps it's the thrill of a challenge. But all things considered, it was the passion to help animals that gave me my driving force to succeed.But when I look back on my five years at uni and the past six years in small animal practice, I realise that photography has played a key role in providing me with a creative escape. And although I threw myself into the veterinary profession with every desire to provide a caring and conscientious service to my patients, it was my camera lens that I relied upon to help me switch off from the demands of the job.Initially it started with photographing animals.....no surprise there! There was something I found very rewarding about capturing the expressions and heart warming personalities of a four legged friend.Photography's like a hook! What first started as a hobby soon became a growing passion. My desire to build a successful business in photography led me to discover the Bespoke Course at Aspire Photography. Here I found a creative hub of like minded people all holding the same desire to establish their photography and find their USP. And it was here that I discovered my own particular niche, for textiles and photography.This course sparked a new light in me and ignited a desire to become a creative entrepreneur. It made me realise that doing what you love, for a living, could become a reality.And so I started to build by business, alongside my veterinary work, using the building blocks learned from my days at Aspire. My desire for colour, texture and landscapes, allowed me to develop a niche for commercial photography for knitwear and fashion brands.Through doing so, my photography helped me to find my own voice in the world of textiles and design and I have since gone on to develop my print label 'Mairi Helena', designing surface prints for interiors using my photographic portfolio of Scotland's textures, landscapes, flora and fauna.This journey has allowed me to become immersed in the creative world, which I love. I now I find myself venturing forth the London Design Week where I will be showcasing my designs both within the 'Emerging Brands' at 100% Design.I've found blogging extremely therapeutic and regularly blog about photography, textiles and all things colour driven. With photography at its core, I blog to share with you how your camera can become your creative escape, as it has done for me.I left Aspire Photography Training with a motto, to
"Decide Once and For All, To Lead An Extraordinary Life"
And that is just what I plan to do.
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I really hope that this post inspires you to follow your dream. So take that leap, be determined and stay focused.
'life is like a balloon' - if you never let go, you'll never know how far you'll fly!
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