One Year Ago Today

It didn't even hit me until I was preparing my lunch...but one year ago today, I found out that my job would be relocated to India. I didn't feel sad about it then, and I don't feel sad about it now. Granted, my day is turning out to be pretty bland for other reasons, but at least I'm going to see the double feature of Toy Story 1 and 2 in 3D later this evening.

As I may have said before, that job was nothing to write home about, and neither were some of my co-workers. As much as I sometimes don't like being in my own company, it was much worse being in theirs. I could have turned into a pathetic excuse for a human being if I worked with them long enough, particularly one who was so miserable that I couldn't greet her one morning without offending her (she thought I was too loud). I thank God she took a second maternity leave.

Some would argue that photography is also nothing to write home about, but lest you think that the process only involves framing subjects and pressing a shutter button, I beg to differ. There are factors which can work for and against the shot, such as weather, ISO, metering and the type of lens used. The people I meet at any given shoot can either enhance or subtract from the experience, though I usually find that they do the former.

Let's not forget about what happens after the shoot. I delete subpar photos which I initially thought were good, or even photos which are technically good but don't really say anything or add to the "story." After doing this, I make edits in Photoshop Elements,* deleting any photos which I deem beyond usability. After this step, I resize the photos for Facebook and Flickr; in addition, I add watermarks to the Flickr set. Finally, I upload them to my Facebook and Flickr accounts; this can take a very long time.

On a dry day like today, this truth isn't as evident as it is on days where major events like Nuit Blanche happen. However, I'm much happier doing this photography gig than I ever was at my former workplace, even if it's not a paying gig yet.

Losing my previous job was the best thing that could have happened to me.

*This doesn't usually go beyond subtle lighting adjustments.