"Love what you do"

                                                                                               reblogged from Tumblr


Steve Jobs passed away today, but he has left a gift for us: inspiration. 

Five months ago, I was faced with the toughest decision of my life: continue to pursue a teaching profession that I had been planning since high school, or chase my passion of photography. The first path led to a secure job, benefits, and a steady income. The second path led to the complete opposite, but provided one important element: stoke. I was stoked about photography. As one of my friends remarked, I lived and breathed photography. When I wasn't shooting photos, I was being inspired by other photographers online, and learning about the fascinating world that is held together by light and the click of the shutter. 

I spent three months looking into myself, figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. While I was surfing blogs one day, I came across the commencement address that Steve Jobs gave to the 2005 graduating class of Stanford University. His speech was inspiring...like I-get-chicken-skin-listening-to-it inspiring. Four words in particular stuck with me: "love what you do." Coming from the guy who built a technological empire that changed the world because he was following his passion, I took his words to heart and kept them in the back of my mind while I explored my options. After researching job markets, reading career path blogs, speaking with friends and family, and examining myself, I decided to go after my passion in photography. 

Here I am, five months later, a full time freelance photographer. Sure, there is stress from all the emails and deadlines, and editing is not the most glamorous of tasks, but I get to pursue my passion everyday. Whether it's an intimate wedding, or a colorful commercial shoot, I get paid to do what I love. And that in itself is pretty amazing. 

Thank you Steve for inspiring me to go after what I love.