A diversion of sorts

This blob (terminology stolen from David Burnett ;) was intended to be purely about the biz... I was only to write about my experiences as a young emerging photographer. Not my personal life. Today, however, is such a momentous occasion, that I have to let my personal life creep in. Today, I turn 30. What a scary thought! And, while everyone keeps telling me it's just a number, it does seem slightly more significant than that.

Why is 30 such a milestone? Because, I think, it's a checkpoint. We all remember having thoughts as kids, "where will I be when I'm older." At the time, "older" was anyone over 30, you know those people Bob Dylan said not to trust. It seemed so distant then. And, while I certainly don't feel like it has been ten years since I was 20, it does seem like ages ago. So, I guess, turning 30, is a chance to reexamine our lives and see if they measure up to our childhood dreams. Well, here goes...

At age 12, I wanted to be an Astronaut. I planned to one day marry Lea Thompson (Back to the Future, SpaceCamp), I hoped to save the world with my superb computer hacking skills (ala War Games), I wanted to be a worldwide karate champion, and of course to become a great explorer, like Lewis and Clark. All the while, I loved taking pictures of anything and everything, and playing with my Dad's Nikon F2. But that was just a hobby.

On the surface, it would seem, I have utterly failed at achieving my goals. But, let's take a closer look. OK, so I'm no astronaut. But, the draw at the time was to do something exciting and active and not have a desk job. I think I've achieved that. And, while I'm not married to Lea Thompson, settling down and having a family is very important to me. OK, so I haven't hacked into NORAD, but technology has always fascinated me. And, even though I'm not pursuing a career in computer science, I do love the toys I get to play with in my job. Alright, alright. I'm not a great explorer and I'm not quite Bruce Lee. But, traveling the world, discovering the unknown, and being physically active are still all very important to me. Wait there was another thing right?

Oh yeah, the taking pictures bit. For as long as I can remember I've been fascinated with photography. But, I never really thought I could make a career out of it. Then, about a year and a half ago, I decided to take leap of faith. I quit my job, started assisting and started getting published. I'm not exactly the likes of my photographic idols. But, I am making a living doing what I love. So, maybe at 30, I'm not so far off from where I wanted to be afterall.