Saturday, February 5, 2011

Who am I ?

I am a photographer and a student. I could identify myself as dozen more things, but at the moment I feel most comfortable in these two identity markers. I don't know exactly who I want to be in life. For a long time I wanted to be a lawyer. And I still do. I mean, why not? I am good at it. But the question arises if I am passionate enough to pursue it and excel in it.

What I am really passionate about is politics and ultimately I would like to have a career that deals with foreign policy making. Everytime I ask myself whether I would prefer to work in a policy assessment type of position or as a lawyer, I end up always choosing the former. Perhaps my heart is not yet ready make the right choice. So for now I am still unsure if I want to go to a law school or to pursue a MA in International Political Economy and Development, Diplomacy or International Relations.

My father has always been an entrepreneur, and I might have that entrepreneurial gene as well. Recently I have been contemplating on founding a TV network back in Poland. Sure, it's still a dream, but it doesn't mean that I can't make it happen. One thing that America has embedded in my subconscious is that anything is possible to accomplish.

As a photographer I am interesting in a variety of fields. I love photojournalism and street photography. In fact, I would love to be in Egypt right now covering the protests. At some point I have considered on enlisting with the US Marines as a field photographer. Well, thank god I didn't. I don't fancy a very disciplined lifestyle for couple of years, and I would most certainly have an authority problem with my superiors. Simply said a military life style isn't for me.

Everytime I tried making money with my skills as a photographer, I ended up hating it. I can truly say that I hate event and wedding photography. There's too much stress and angry vicious brides. It's not a good mix. I can see myself doing commercial photography, though I doubt that I would like to be stranded in a studio. The world is my studio. With people such as David Hobby ( The Strobist), Zack Aries and Joe McNally driving the trend of abandoning the comforts of a studio to an on location photography, I follow in their footsteps. The minimalistic approach of using speedlites on location is my forte now. I am at a point in my photography "life" where I have to either take the jump and go into professional photography with full force or call it a day. So at the moment I am creating my portfolio and hopefully I will make something out of myself.

I am a person of many aspirations and passions. Now the question becomes, which choice to make.

And here's one of my street photographs, since I don't feel like posting a self portrait.

6 comments:

  1. Beautiful. International relations and photography: I can see an intersection. Maybe the challenge is satisfying both and not choosing. Ambitious indeed.

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  2. The picture is gorgeous.May I ask what camera and lens you use?

    Maybe consider photography as just a hobby. I find when i keep things I love to myself,without having people make demands on me regarding it I always love it.Like reading,I love reading but hate people dictating what I read. Brides are awful and I cant imagine the stress they put on you when you're only doing something you love.

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  3. @Doris

    Indeed, why choose, I can do both. :)

    @YanHua

    Thank you

    @Meagan

    I shot it with my Canon point and shoot. I hate carrying my huge dslr since it's easily noticeable and heavy as a bag of bricks. If only i could afford that Leica rangefinder.

    Indeed, that's why I shoot street photography. But I still have a strong desire to be a photog professionally. It's hard to fight it off.

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  4. Wow you are obviously creatively talented and have a range of interests. It would be amazing if you could combine them. Good luck in however you choose to pursue them

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