a few weeks back i came across the name Jasmine Star on a fellow "newbie" photographer's facebook page. i didn't pay too much attention to this; there is so much information out there, and i have upheld a few other photographers as "gurus" to learn by. but in the past few days while perusing the opensourcephoto forums Jasmine's name kept being mentioned in post, after post, after post. so tonight i decided i would look her up, see what the fuss was all about. i haven't even got to looking at her photos yet and i am already inspired by her. all i have done is read her "about" page on her website! turns out she left law school to pursue wedding photography!!! now let me tell you why this is important to me.
four years ago i quit a good yet un-fulfilling job to move across the country in order to attend university full time in a small, unique (and slightly quirky) christian liberal arts university. i was twenty eight years old. i had no goal in mind other than to pursue something that i had always wanted to do, graduate university with a bachelor of arts degree. st. stephen's university was the perfect fit for me; its small classroom sizes, friendships with professors that went beyond the classroom, study abroad semesters and the "community bubble" made it easy for me to become immersed in academia. i learned to think critically, ask questions and be okay with the fact that not all questions have answers (or mostly okay). i had little to no knowledge of philosophy, history, art, literature, social justice when i began... the world was opened up to me and it has transformed me (i am pretty sure that ssu - the professors and my fellow students - saved me from a mundane/mediocre life). by the end of my second year i started to see beyond my ba degree, into law school. i was on track. i sought to increase my gpa, and gobbled up every philosophy and ethics class i could, and in my final year i wrote a thesis, allowing me to graduate with honors. the plan was to take a year off from school to study for the LSATs and prepare application for law schools, with the hopes of beginning school again in september 2011.
and now here i am, not six months after graduating and everything has changed. i followed my heart four years ago and lead me to ssu. i followed my heart last year and it lead to me staying in st. stephen nb where i have found chance and opportunity to pursue another "heart" passion; and it's something i am really good at (*sheepish smile*). so, when i read the "about" blurb on Jasmine's website it struck a cord deep within me. i am convinced again that i am on the right track... that i am following my heart. law school isn't going anywhere, nor are my reasons for wanting to study the law. but there is something else tugging at my heart strings right now, and something that isn't going to go away until it becomes a reality. Jasmine Star writes:
"i left law school... and have since filled the ache in my chest with happiness that percolates from my heart. i fell in love with Love. the joy and fulfillment i receive in documenting the most special moments on a wedding day compares to nothing else."
from someone who had similar pursuits prior to her career in photography, this means alot, ALOT! there is alot of information on this website; just one evening of reading a few threads of discussion and i have a brain full of ideas and important business planning considerations. but the references to Jasmine Star have been the most valuable utterances, thus far.
*this post may sound a little fluffy or mushy, but i think i have started out on the first few kilometers of a really awesome journey and i am really excited (is this what it feels like to align one's will with the will of GOD?)!! i think my 33rd year is going to be the best. year. yet! (it was my birthday last week ;)
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