Just recently, I was about what my dream job is. I couldn’t answer right away as it is something I forgot about.  I have had a little time to think about it.

When I was little, not sure of when as that was so long ago, but I always wanted to be a photographer.  At 16, my parents got me a camera for Christmas.  Now, I did go to the store with mom to pick it out.  She wrapped it, put it under the Christmas Tree, but I was an anxious kid.  Every day after school, I would come home, carefully unwrap the box, and get the camera out.  I read the instruction book over and over.  After playing with the camera, I would put it back in the box, re-tape the paper, and put it back under the tree.  By Christmas Day, I knew everything there was to know about the camera.

My first job, I worked in the camera store on Main Street at Walt Disney World.  I loved it.  I even sold an expensive camera to someone, and we didn’t even speak the same language.  Very cool.  But since Disney World was 50 miles from home, it was decided a job closer would be better.  I got an after school job at Stan’s Photo on Merritt Island.  I was in Heaven.  Working in a camera store and learning everything I could.  There was even a darkroom where I could do some printing.

Also during this time, the high school band director was into photography, and took me under his wing.  He taught me how to develop film, both color and black & white.  Taught me so much about printing with an enlarger, and even little tricks.  Secret, to reduce wrinkles, you stretch pantyhose under the lens when making the print.  I knew how to dodge and burn, you name it, I could do magic in the darkroom.

A lot of what I learned over the years was self taught.  I couldn’t afford college or any special training.  I hit the books and experimented a lot.

When I graduated from high school, I moved to North Carolina with my parents.  When I was 19, I opened a camera store.  It was small, but starting out with basically nothing, I was proud.  But being young, not having good resources and not really knowing how to run a business, I had to shut it down.  I was sad, but I was proud because at least I tried.

Situations came up and I ended back down in Florida.  Worked night shift at Circle K, had a job at a camera store, and then gave up on everything to be a manager at Wendy’s.  Photography was not getting me anywhere, so I had to try something else.  I was at Wendy’s for a few years, then decided I needed to try to get back to my true love, photography.  I landed a job at a big photo lab that printed mainly for professional photographers.  Soon, I would be the manager for the sports/events printing department.  Everything there was great.  I was still in “photography”, just not taking photos.  But I was okay with it.

Then in December of 1989, the owner of the lab asked me if I would come out to Houston to help get the new lab going.  It was only supposed to be a six weeks deal.  Well, I fell in love with the city the moment I arrived.  I helped get the lab going, and then it was time for me to return to Florida.  I didn’t want to leave.  So, I was told to go back or not have a job.  I lost the job.

Soon after losing that job, I was able to land a job with a photography studio.  I learned a lot there, had a good time, but I couldn’t be creative like I want to be.  I ended up leaving and becoming a manager for Eckerd Express Photo.  While there, I started to try to get back into my photography.  Finally had a job that I had weekends off and could do things.  I was there for several years, but some of the corporate stuff required, I couldn’t agree with.  Big corporations are about numbers, not customer service.

Now off to a mom and pop One Hour Photo shop.  It was a fun job, to a point.  I was able to work on my photography, and even used the darkroom to print my own work.  Some of my prints were in magazines.  But I did most of the photography for free, just trying to get my foot in the door.  The only reason I left that job is because the owners fought every day and I just could not handle it.

So that leads to where I am now.  Back in 1997, I started working for another photo lab.  Once again, not doing photography, but still in the same field.  After about 5 years, I took a leave of absence just to see if I could get my photography going.  I tried everything, but I never had the money or the right resources to make it.  I was doing what I could with what I had.  Finally, I had to crawl back to the lab and see if they would let me back.  Luckily they did.

So, I work part time in a photo lab.  I do photography on the side, when I can.  I do work for other photographers just to help pay my bills.

Times I have watched America’s Next Top Model, I dream about those fashion photo shoots that they do.  They have such great equipment, lighting and staff.  And the indoors sets they have, I would die to be able to have sets like that.  I would love to have my own place to do what I dream for.  I love fashion photography, I love to make people look so pretty.

My answer to what my dream job is, to be a fashion photographer.  But I don’t dream about it anymore as that dream seems to have faded away as I know it can’t be reached.  But don’t worry, I am a happy person.  I have wonderful friends and family, and that is all that matters.