A Kick in the Pants

I've heard it said that “the shoes make the man.” Well, my last shoe purchase were two pairs of sneakers. They were perfect for what I did with my day. I mean really, a warehouse manager doesn’t wear men’s casuals to work. But a home organization designer…well that guy certainly would, so yep! I’ve got some men’s casuals in my closet from my design days too. I’ve got a pair each of black and brown leather soled professionals, ‘cause they matched the ties I wore to the bank every day. The collection grows as you walk back through my various jobs. It seems my life has been one big shoe shopping experience. One pair of shoes after another, one job after another. Heck, even one entrepreneurial opportunity after another.

Seriously, though. Who doesn’t want to get ahead in life? It takes a sense of adventure as well as what a friend of mine always talks of, a sense of “awe and wonder” to take chances, allow one’s self opportunity to grow and evolve in ways unexpected. Oh, and apparently lot’s of room in the closet for shoes. But truly there can be too many shoes in one’s closet, right? That’s why I’m so excited to have finally found the right set.

That’s right, set. Not pair. Casuals, sneakers, wellington boots, hiking shoes, professionals, and a bright, solid red pair of Adiddas. Perfect for the go everywhere, adventurous, I can do it photographer. As it turns out the right set for me is derived from my passion. Which is why my shoe collection was once in constant growth, there was no passion in the jobs it represented, they were just…jobs.

Working as a warehouse manager, I actually had a rather comfy situation. Well, aside from the usual personality conflicts anyway. Even those were worked out with professionalism and flourished into friendships. It made for complacency. That is until I got the news. “Vincent we have to let you go for a while. We’ll bring you back in a few months, but you’re being furloughed.” Usually this would be some rather disappointing news, but actually…it was the best news I’d heard all day! You see, I’d already been planning on taking some time off anyway. But then too, I had a revelation. This was a proverbial kick in the pants!

Photography has been a part of my life for over 15 years. While living in Atlanta, GA I walked around with a chrome Nikon FE 35mm camera. It was like an appendage. I have a small red Igloo cooler full of black and white prints from those days. Sometimes I still pull them out for a dose of nostalgia. You can see a few of them in my THE BEGINNING album. I’d planned to attend photography school there in Atlanta, when a friend of mine called me from Seattle. “What are you doing down there?” she asked. I really had to think about it. Photography school was still just a burgeoning plan, and I’d recently changed other aspects of my life, so the more I thought about it the idea of moving to Seattle began to seem like a good one... adventurous to say the least. So, I packed up my camera and belongings and was on my way within a month.

Seattle was like returning home. I remember the moment I felt so for the first time. I’d found my way to Victor Steinbruek Park, where I encountered pigeons. The boldest, most unperturbed pigeons I’d ever seen! I could trying shooing them away by waving my arms, or kicking in their direction, all to no avail. This interaction somehow took me back to my days in the Bay Area. I’d launched my adulthood from the city of SF, and oddly enough bold pigeons took me back to that time and place. I had no idea that Seattle would be the place where my photography passion would flourish. My Nikon FE served me well for a few more years in Seattle, but we sadly spent quite some time away from each other when I left it behind at my sister’s house in SF, while vacationing one year. During it’s absence, I was given a Nikon D3100. Can you say elated? It was like I’d grown my missing appendage back! I didn’t even have to pay to develop my photos anymore!

We were happy together, my D3100 and me. But I missed the ‘ole FE, and was excited to be reunited with it when my sister got married. Ah, but how short lived our reunion was. While I celebrated my sister’s marriage the back window of my car was being smashed in, and my ‘ole Nikon FE found a new owner. Reuinted only to be torn forever apart. My heart was broken. The worst part of it was having to admit to myself my stupidity in leaving it out for people to see in the back seat. My friend was gone, but I returned home to my D3100, and my snap happy self continued on.

I’d post my pictures on Face Book. Social media can be so rewarding! Feedback and encouragement… it was like having my own personal gallery in the palm of my hand. My tendency is tell stories with my photography. To offer a sense of what it was like to visit the places I’d go. Who, what, when, where in a series of photos. My D3100 was my best tool for artistic expression. I CAN DRAW, though not exceptionally well. I paint too, once again not all that well. So my camera was an amazing mode of bypassing my weaknesses. While it requires quite a bit of learning and training to be able to offer expressive photos, the camera is my fastest way toward offering renderings. So once again, I was heartbroken when this tool was stolen from me too. This time at 2AM, from the trunk of my car, right out front my condo. I caught the whole thing on camera! But alas not clearly enough to identify the culprit. MY D3100 has a new home. I hope it is being treated well.

I was blessed to have another path toward a camera (credit). This time I upgraded to the Nikon D5300. I have a brother who also finds passion in photography. In fact, his has burned in him since his high-school days as a school paper photographer. What a lucky guy I am to have him as my brother too! Not only has he fostered my passion and growth, but he’s also given me some of his hand me down photography equipment, increasing my capabilities and confidence. My beloved D5300 and me, we go everywhere together. We continue to make art together. To make people happy.

While working as warehouse manager I had a coworker who went out of his way to inform me of how well he enjoyed my work, and strongly encourage me to make strides toward entering the photography industry professionally. This seed grew within me as my confidence grew along side my realization of my complacency at my job. So, when the kick in the pants with a boot called furlough happened, it made total sense to move into the industry that thrives on my passions. Thanks Garrett Larson for that needed element of support.

It’s a blessing when you have a chance to follow your passion. But too it's a blessing to have an opportunity to help others make their special moments, perfect. Or to see the joy in a person’s eyes when they see the portrait we made together. VHOTON Images would not exist if not for the people who supported me and, encouraged me to follow my passions. But more importantly VHOTON Images would be nothing without the happy people I have the privilege to do my work for and with.  I can only say that life brings us many shoes to walk in, when you find the right ones well, you know it.