So, you might be wondering how a 25-year-old girl, fresh out of studying international crime and conflict at the faculty of law at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, ended up chasing after moments with a camera instead of chasing criminals in court. Well, let me take you on a little journey through the twists and turns of my career change.
Photography has always been my passion, and my camera has always been my eye - and vice versa. When I decided to start my own documentary and portrait photography business, people thought it was just a phase. They assumed I needed some "creative time" before settling into a "real job" as a lawyer or in corporate business.
But between the ages of 18 and 22, I did the corporate thing (next to studying a double bachelor in Munich). I gained experience, I learned a lot, but I always felt blocked in my own creativity. So, I took a leap of faith and decided to become a photographer. I thought it would give me unlimited possibilities to spread my wings. Little did I know, running my own business would turn me into more of an entrepreneur than a creative - and I love it.
I've always had a knack for entrepreneurship. When I was four years old, I started selling stones in front of our house (not that I needed the money, but it was fun). Then I graduated to making bracelets and selling them to my parents' friends. Later, I even sold the clothes of my parents' friends! I've always been able to sell anything people put into my hands. Now, as a photographer, it's a bit different because I kind of have to sell myself along with my art.
This brings a lot of challenges, like balancing creativity with the practicalities of running a business. The free flow of crazy thoughts in building a business is exhilarating, but it also needs to make money.
I've tried many different ways to build my photography business and show that you can become a photographer after studying something completely unrelated. In a world surrounded by lawyers and doctors, I sometimes feel like I don’t really have a creative I can look up to. But that's okay because I'm blazing my own trail.
So, that's my story - trying to figure out how to navigate this path and looking forward to the challenges ahead. Because let's face it, where's the fun in life without a few hurdles to jump over?
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