I've used labels on myself all through my conscious life. It's quite funny as I think of it now.
And the titles always came from things I loved doing. So I was a Basketball player during pre-high school period and not a Student. I'm a Student now, though. A student of life and of everybody that inspires me. But not then when I actually was expected to play that role.
I was a Photographer in my mind even before I finished my non-photography bachelor's degree. Later I started a master's that brought me kind of closer to that. So I became a photojournalist eventually...
But when did I dub myself a Photographer? I am not exactly sure. But I know when I first did believe in it. It was The One Snap, the one I am sharing in this post, that made me feel I've made it. Here's the story behind it, a story I love and I share often and in all my social media accounts:
When I saw the scene I thought: 'Well, there is obviously something here, the way two worlds are set apart from each other by that line... Although, there are so many photographers around right now. Each of them should be able to see this and take advantage of this and... then I have nothing special.' But then I also thought: 'I am only responsible for what I do and it is up to me to do my job. I should not care about what others could also do.'
So I took the picture. Though not perfectly executed it won two competitions during the next couple of years. And it brought me a new DSLR camera body, a trip to Prague by plane, a stay for two nights at an expensive hotel, a few hundred euros, a jacket, a thermos and a small metal loop for climbers (vouchers, folks, you get no change when you use one).
I feel like a one-trick pony for telling it again and again and still I find it important. Because it defined me. And maybe because I failed to find the courage to talk about it when I was asked to share my thoughts at the forum in Prague they invited me to because of that one snap. Anyway...
The first of those photo competitions was also the first I ever won. And what I felt and thought then bound my mind on the path of photography for as long as I am able to work. I felt then I had finally learned how to express myself in that new language and my efforts should go there.
Of course it's not the only thing I love. I become an amateur in almost every art that I can get my grip on for a while. But I will talk about being an amateur some other time.
I should be finishing the post now. I am excited to be here, excited to explore the environment and I actually have to prepare for a trip somewhere in the Great Offlines for quite a few days. I'll be eager to come back and continue.
