Taking the Leap!

‘‘Hi everyone, I am Rebecca and I’m a photographer.’’

I never used to say that, in fact I actually used to say… ‘Hi, I’m Rebecca and I’m a primary school teacher’. That was my life for 10 years. For the most part of those 10 years I enjoyed my job as a teacher. Life was easy. Although there were high expectations at work I got on well with my colleagues, was happy to partake in extra curricular activities outside of school, attended hundreds of planning meetings, moderations and many other events to do with my role. I went above and beyond. But that’s because I could - I had time, I wasn’t tired. Then I got pregnant with my first child Isobel and my priorities in life totally changed. I wanted to be at home with my daughter baking, playing, cleaning and maybe a little bit of window shopping. Then I swiftly got pregnant again, with my little boy - William, and before I knew it I was a mum to 2 under 2. 

Life with 2 was much, much harder and I found myself just surviving each day. As the end of my maternity leave approached I began to feel sick, dreaded going back to work and knew that I just didn’t have it in me to be a teacher anymore. How would I find the time to do everything? How will I cope leaving my children at nursery? How will I make dinner? Clean? Who will sort the washing baskets? After 2 very close bouts of Maternity leave (I returned to work for 4 months in between, but was off for 2.5 years). I realised I was not only a mum but I had changed. Everything about me had changed. I now knew what it was to be tired, I could not think straight, I was used to being by myself with only 2 little ones for company. My life revolved around play dates, cleaning up spaghetti juice from the floor and changing 18 nappies a day! I didn’t want to go back to work after maternity – I was scared I couldn’t do it anymore, I didn’t want to leave my children and I definitely didn’t want to ‘give up my free time’ to go back to work and teach other peoples children.

So it began….from around 12 weeks into my maternity leave I just knew I wouldn’t want to go back to work. But I just couldn’t think of a viable alternative. I toyed with the idea of childminding, I thought about getting a job in a local supermarket, I dreamt of opening a cute, cosy coffee shop. Everything I thought of seemed impossible or not an option because of income worries. As time went on I slowly became more and more unhappier with the fact that life as a teacher was my fate and I just had to do it. 

Then one day whilst day dreaming about future prospects with my husband for the millionth time I had a thought, ‘I wonder if I could take my love of taking photographs and turn it into my job’. I have always been interested in photography, design and anything to do with art but I have never considered myself to be an artist or really much good at it. I had owned a few digital cameras in the past and I was usually the one with my camera out capturing those memories on holidays and nights out with my friends. But would I be able to earn a living from it? There was something different about this thought…I was excited, I was eager to research more and couldn’t get the words out to my hubby any quicker! But was I brave enough to take that leap?

Over the next few weeks/months I put my plan into motion not really talking to anyone else about it bar my hubby. I bought a journal, enrolled on a course, came up with a business plan, designed and planned my dream studio. Then I took the plunge and handed my notice in at work. A lot went on between then and now but as they say…’the rest is history’!

Of course the doubts have often set in, I’ve often thought ‘it’s a silly idea’ or ‘I cant do this’ or, ‘I’m jeopardising my family life and all the amazing opportunities I have.’ But you know what - to be happy is worth everything to a child as they grow up and now I can honestly say I am a happy mummy. I am in control of my own destiny and I am proud to say I am a photographer.

I love my job, I enjoy meeting new families every day, I love the whole process of photography - setting up a session, taking photos, editing photos and transforming them into special pieces that I know are going to be hung in that special place on someone’s living room wall. I enjoy the ‘me time’ and the flexibility of my job but ultimately, more than anything else, I love that every single day I wake up and I am happy! That means everything to me! I’m so glad I took that leap.

Thanks for reading.