I graduated high school in 2021, right in the middle of the COVID pandemic. Like so many others at that time, I had no idea what I wanted to do next. College felt uncertain, and I couldn’t see a clear career path in front of me — but I did know I had photography.

By the end of my senior year, I had started booking more sessions, especially with other seniors, and I fell in love with capturing those once-in-a-lifetime moments. My work was growing, my confidence was building, and for the first time, I was able to raise my prices and charge what I was worth.

So instead of rushing into a college program or picking a path just for the sake of having one, I gave myself permission to stick with photography. I figured I’d keep going until another passion came along. But the truth is, photography was the passion. The only one that ever made me feel like I was doing what I was meant to do. The only one I could pour my heart into, day after day, without growing tired of it.

Is it hard? Of course. There are days where I wonder if life might be simpler with a more traditional job — something with less stress, less responsibility. But every time I imagine walking away, I come right back to photography. It’s where I feel most grounded. Most alive. Most myself.

And the more I leaned into it, the more I realized: this wasn’t just a phase. It was the beginning of something real.