WHERE IT STARTED
I would love to share a more personal peak into the season of my life that led me to my journey becoming a professional photographer in Southern Maryland. I should start by saying I have always had a deep love for photography. Since I was a little girl. I always had to have a disposable camera everywhere we went (feeling old as i'm typing this) and I could NOT wait to have it developed at the local Wal-Mart. Who else remember this method? I can honestly say I do not miss the long process of waiting to have the camera developed just to find out half of the images might be decent and the other half would be headed to the trash. Fortunately, those are now a thing of the past. Well, for me they are.
As I grew and went through many disposable and then point-and-shoot cameras, I only dreamed of one day owning a professional camera, able to deliver images of quality. However, I kept this dream on the back burner, as it seemed so far out of sight. So, I went into the health care field as a CNA/MT. I stayed in this field for almost 15 years, straight out of high school. I was always told how great I was at my job and I loved to help provide my patients care with a smile no matter my mood. Eventually, the company I worked for of 10 years made major changes and let most of the staff go. I had to make a decision. So I thought, This was it! This was my opportunity to find my dream and follow it. So I did! I connected with a mentor and learned a ton. I would leave my 2 babies home to meet my mentor EVERYDAY, nearly 12 hours a day for several months until we would endure back-to-back family loses. As a result, I sadly was unable to continue with my mentor. I turned back to health care for income, but once again, it wasn't right. Then we endured COVID- 19 and I was back at home now with my 4 littles. Again, out of work and also not feeling fulfilled in my career choice. This is where I took a leap of faith and spent my savings on my Sony a7r3 camera with a 50mm f1.8 lens. After getting this camera in my hands, I was hooked! The feeling I have when behind that camera is pure joy, excitement, and tons of curiosity for what I can create next.
WHERE WE ARE NOW
Learning the camera, composition, poses, prompts, etc. has been so amazing but what was next? Why not start a business, Right? Well let me tell you... this was the start to a new season of my life. I buckled down and dove feet over head into what it took to own and operate a business and even more so a photography business. I took steps to obtain an LLC as well as a CPP (Certified Professional Photography Certificate). I expanded my gear, buying tripods, Flashes, Umbrellas, soft boxes, and more. Currently, I'm learning how to conquer the dreaded task of marketing, growing on social media, and gaining new clientele, which i'm actually finding very fascinating. Everyday, my knowledge in this industry grows tremendously. I know one thing, i'm not stopping now! I couldn't be more thrilled with the direction of this new season and hope to learn, grow, and inspire others to follow their dream and never ever give up on their journey. You never know what the next season will hold for you.
Contact Me and become a part of Paula Carter Photography Now!!!
