Yes, this is “One of those” posts. I thought instead of showing you more pictures I could tell you why I take pictures. I could tell you how I got started in 2006 at a cousins wedding, shooting as a guest. How I got my first wedding doing a friends wedding. I could tell you about the photos we took to help animals get adopted. None of those however is my why.
After a week long vacation in Florida my wife and I (like so many others) decided that we would move from the home we made in Indiana to Florida more or less on a whim. Although my wife got a job almost immediately, I had not. We decided that for the time being anyway that I should give my photography ago, something I have been doing in Michigan and Indiana years before. What we didn’t expect is that Florida is a completely different world. This meant I had to find a job.
By fate or by God, I was able to find one when everything seemed like it was going in the wrong direction. I was able to find work as an order entry specialist at Pinellas Rubber Stamp & Engraving in Largo, Fl. It was an amazing opportunity where I was able to find out more about myself and others. I quickly worked my way up the ladder and was settling in as part of the family. Everything was going great… this is until the unexpected happened.
We unexpectedly became parents, Our son Bentley was born on May, 11 2017. 6 pound 14 oz. My job was very understanding and even allowed me to bring him to work with my for the first 6 months of his life. The agreement was after 6 month I would have to put him into daycare. For those of you who aren’t in the know, daycare is expensive. That leaves 2 options, find a higher paying job or stay home. After several months of interviewing and conditioning for the sheriffs office, it became decided that only one of those options would be realistic.
I made the decision to go back to what I know the best, photography. Its been a road with a lot of ups and downs (sometimes more downs then ups). But it has afforded me the opportunity to experience something that most fathers don’t have, time watching my son grow.
I am excited to be on this journey, but its not over. I feel grateful for all the support that everyone has shown to me and my family when they hire me as their photographer and look forward to many happy years with my wife and son. These are my miracles and these are “Why I quit”. So, if you have any photography needs feel free to contact me so we can make something amazing together.
