Sometimes I always ask myself, how the heck did I get here?!

Right now, I’m in Miami, Florida.

Earlier today, I was at Atlantis, Paradise Island Bahamas having fun on the slides and “lazy river”.

Monday, I helped Scott Robert Lim, world class photographer, shoot an amazing destination wedding in the Bahamas.  (Congrats Kathy + Rob!!!!)

Friday, I’ll be on a Carnival Cruise back to Nassau.  With photographers from all over the world.  UK, Canada, Texas, California – you name it.

I’ve always had a passion for photography.  I was the “camera whore” in my group of friends (actually, one of my friends, Calvin, gave me that nickname, and he called me that for years).  I’m the one with tons of burned CDs stacked away in my bookshelf.  I’m the one who will bring up old memories with old friends with my pictures.  I’m the one who might embarrass you with that one picture I took years ago.

Back in 2009, I was sitting at my desk (at my prior job – at the time I was a Senior Client Support Rep at Advent Software) desperately searching for the photographer I once found in 2004.

Let’s take it back to 2004.  Junshien Lau, back in the Xanga days (btw my xanga = http://chrfullxazn.xanga.com/  – don’t judge…) left me a comment on one of my Xanga posts.  I’m the type of girl who normally doesn’t become online friends with strangers. I went to his blog, thinking like, who is this dude?

I noticed he had a mentor, Scott Robert Lim.  Scott had amazing work.  I followed his work for several years and I thought maybe he’d be my future wedding photographer.  I followed both Junshien and Scott for a while until I started studying Finance at the University of San Francisco.

So, fast forward again.  Not until 2009, yes, back to my desk – I was just reinvesting in myself and figuring out how to improve my photography.  I loved shooting things on my point and shoot, but it wasn’t enough – I knew it wasn’t going to help me grow.  I remember the exact desk I sat at, and I remember the joy I had when finally re-finding Scott Robert Lim.  It was joyous.  I was just sitting there, and noticed he had a mentoring session.  My boss, Terry (TC), recently bought a Nikon D90 and I was getting interested in the shots he took.  He showed us all the imagery and I was wow’d.  That’s when I knew I wanted to learn more.

I noticed that JeZa (Jeremy and Zabrina, husband and wife team) and Scott was throwing a San Francisco workshop.  I just recently upgraded my Nikon D50 to a D90 several months earlier.  I wanted to learn more, and I started looking further into Scott and his workshops.  I started to find all of his other mentees in addition to Junshien – Tauran Woo, Bandele Zuberi, Marie Lyssa, Gurm Sohal, and so many more.  I went to their websites, blogs, and what have you not – started to follow their journey and success.  Several years is all it took for them.  They were big, and their imagery was amazing.  I wanted that.

I started by investing in one Scott Robert + JeZa San Francisco workshop.  $400 for a one day workshop, that included lecture and a shoot out.  I remember that day, and I remember how amazing it was.  The day was so great, I met so many new people, and the vibe was amazing.  I was on a high.  This was my high.  I wanted more.  This couldn’t be the end.  So I signed up for the entire mentoring session for the remainder of the year.

I remember when I told TC that I signed up for this mentoring session and he asked me, “So, what does that mean?”.  I said, “no no, I’m just letting you know that it’s something I signed up for.”

I wanted to take these workshops to the next level.  A NYC workshop from Scott was coming up and I was kind of waiting for an international workshop.  I kind of wanted to go, but then financials were holding me behind.  I wanted to save up for a big and awesome trip.  Not NYC, I was just there the year before.  Well, somehow I was convinced, I pulled the trigger, and in September 2010, I was there in NYC.  This is when I met more of Scott’s community and realized how close his mentees are.

In October 2010, I couldn’t wait for China’s workshop.  We went to Shanghai and Beijing.  This is where I met one of my dearest friends, Jenny Shung.  We had such a great time.  We made a pact with David, Riz, and Jenny, that we would all be in Paris together in Spring, 2011.

Spring 2011, we were in Paris.  It was just me, Jenny, two other Michelles, three other Jennys, and many many more friends.  Paris was the turning point of my career.  It was the final realization that I wanted to do this full time.  I saved up all my vacation time from work just for these workshops.  Seriously.

Come June, after all the heart to hearts with my boss TC – I knew it had to be done.  I was being torn apart from my family at Advent to pursue my passion in life.  I was a team lead – I was in management.  I wanted to make sure all my team members were achieving their goals, and got what they wanted.  I wanted to make sure they got their personal growth – properly.  My team was great.  Hardcore, TOM&C (trade order management and compliance).  Even though we worked with traders all day and sometimes had a hard time, at the end of the day – we all partied hard.

The biggest struggle I had, was that I loved everyone that I worked with, but I love photography much more.  Yes, that much more, at the beginning of June, my boss TC announced someone was leaving.  That was me.  I was crying.  I loved my team.  And I still do love my Moxy team.  They will always be my family.  Forever and ever.  But I had to pursue my passion.  I could have had a nice stable income.  I could have a house by now.  Priorities changed.

So, five months later, here I am.  I’m here – in South Beach, Miami.  I helped out Scott with a fab wedding in the Bahamas (which I will blog about more later!!) and we flew back to Miami to take a cruise to the Bahamas.

So this is where I am today.  I’m staying at the Beacon Hotel, a hotel that Gloria Estefan owns.

This past year, my goal and new years resolution was to blog every week.  I obviously ultimately failed at doing that.  Next year’s goals are to book at least 12 weddings.  Will that happen?  Who knows.  It’s uncertain.  It’s scary.  Risky.  Fun.  Exciting.  It’s the life.  C’est la vie.

I’m loving it.

I really have to thank Scott’s mentees for showing their work and seeing their continual growth.  I also have to thank my old boss, Terence Cheung, for supporting everything that I do.  I have to thank my boyfriend Curtis for being my rock – my support, my everything.  Last and best – I have to thank Scott Robert Lim for taking me on this crazy never-ending journey.

One think that I’ve learned along this never-ending journey is that… as long as you are determined and if there’s something YOU really want to do – investing in yourself is the biggest gift you can ever give.  Time, practice, and everything will fall into place as long as you put YOU into it- your heart, soul, and love.  Education.  Big time.  Find a mentor to help accelerate you to where you want to be.  Find multiple mentors.  Flourish yourself with amazing people that inspire you.  Be with someone who encourages you every single day.  Find your inspiration in what you love.  Find your style.  Find what your passion is.

This is just the beginning, and this is how I got here.  “That sh*t is cray.”  (and no, I’m not missing the z in crazy).