MY FIRST YEAR IS NOW COMPLETE!

Sorry for the long post, I know this is a bit long but I am just excited! :)Today marks my 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY since officially launching my Equestrian career last October 2017!

Things weren't always lovely as roses leading up to my decision to do this professionally. If it wasn't for a few great friends of mine who had a serious chat with me and told me that I should consider doing this as a career, I most likely wouldn't have started when I did. I sat on the idea for a few months and it was during this beautiful Fall evening, sitting at the lake behind my house with a friend of mine, having this exact same discussion, that it hit me that I can do this as a profession.

Regardless of the number of people who told me to wait a few years, get my experience first, then start my business - so that I don't crash and burn. Did it ever cross my mind to hold off? When my heart told me that I could do this, absolutely not! I knew what was ahead and that I had to put some SERIOUS, MAJOR time into getting myself to where I needed to be but I was willing to do whatever it took. I hustled and worked around the clock to put together the building blocks of my business.

Was it risky diving right in the way that I did with zero experience? Heck ya! But I am one who loves to take risks in life because life would be awfully boring if we never took risks. I wouldn't have taken this risk if I didn't believe in myself.

So then I started writing my business plan, which nearly took a month to complete, as some decisions were incredibly difficult to make. I didn't just come to my decisions overnight, I collaborated with friends and others in the Equestrian industry across many disciplines and backgrounds from all across North America to get their insight, since diving into the Equestrian world as a photographer and videographer was all new to me.

Then I moved on to my website, which was a whole other animal to take on altogether.

I had people tell me that I should only focus on one, either Western or English but not both. I was never convinced of this because I knew that it was just the matter of time before I drew interest from the other side. The market in Alberta is too even when you look at the Western audience to the English audience.

Video in the Equestrian world? Serious? What? Why? Who's going to want that? I was almost tempted to leave it out but I went with my gut and decided to keep it intact and I am sure glad that I did. Is there a market for Equine Videography? Absolutely there is, I wouldn't be offering it if I didn't believe there was one. It's just been a little forgotten and it needs to be re-discovered. :) Photography is wonderful, same goes for Videography but they both lack aspects that the other has. So when you put the two together, you have something truly magical.

I love film making, it's an entirely different beast than photography and it requires a completely different skill set. Though photography and videography share many of the core technical aspects, the approach is so different that it's a whole other world altogether.

Thank you for everyone's support, it means the world to me. All the people that I've met and had the opportunity to work with in my first year has been simply wonderful. All the feedback, insight, tips, advice, discussions, debates that I have received (and still do get) is all greatly GREATLY appreciated and I never take any of it for granted. You are all a HUGE factor in determining how my first year progressed.

You get better when you learn from your mistakes. The mistakes that I made in my first year, I will not be making in the second year and so on. Make adjustments, adapt to changes and learn from your experiences.

I can't express in words just how much I am looking forward to my second year in what I consider as me, just "getting started."

In the month of December, I have some great posts coming up, flashing back through the entire year of 2018 such as:

"My best action shot of 2018" 
"My favorite discipline to photograph"
"My toughest challenge of 2018 that I've had to work through"
"Top 5 assignments of 2018 that almost happened" (this is one that you won't want to miss!).

FINDING MY ASSISTANTS

Here is just an update regarding my "Assistants" positions (main assistant, backup assistant) since I originally posted an ad for it over a month ago and many are curious where I am in the process and whether I have found two people yet.

It has been a very long process but I am extremely confident that I have found my side kicks this time around. I have narrowed it down to my top 3 candidates right now, in which I will be individually trying out my top 2 out in the field for a day over the next little while.

Getting to know these candidates over the phone is great but it all comes down to seeing how they work with me in the real world in real time situations.

It's been a long haul but the final door is just about there. :)

UPDATE ON MY KENTUCKY TRIP

Just an update on my Kentucky trip at the end of this month. People have been wondering which Breeding Farm I will be at.

Unfortunately the bearer of bad news I will no longer be shooting the video commercial at the Thoroughbred Breeding Farm down in Lexington (which was going to be filmed at "Taylor Made Farms"), as this has been cancelled due to the colt that was originally scheduled to be filmed in the video is no longer available. So I will not be hauling any of my video gear down there except my action cam - that right there cuts my gear right in half which is nice.

So instead of two carry on's and a luggage, I will now only need to bring one carry on and a luggage. Less is always better, even as a travelling photographer. As much as any travelling photographer would love to bring all of their gear with them, it's just not practical for many photographers so you have to make sacrifices.

The great news is that my journey to the back side of the Breeders' Cup is still on. I just hope it doesn't rain like it did at the Kentucky Derby. As much as I would love to have it, I will not have access to the infield (this is where I took 85% of my photos from the 113th Annual Millarville Race on Canada Day), so I will be putting my focus on candid and nailing the moments you rarely see captured in the horse racing world. And of course I will get my share of action shots from wherever I can and obviously I will be looking for that highly coveted money shot but as expected it's going to be incredibly tough.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT WITH JONATHAN FIELD

Enjoy the new announcement with Jonathan Field and I. Here is a prime example of two opposites on camera - Jonathan being a magnificent speaker on camera and myself...well obviously I shine much more BEHIND the camera than on it. :)

I've worked with several professional speakers in my life and they all make it look so easy. Speaking on camera is a valuable (but very challenging) skill to gain. I can proudly say that Jonathan Field is another stellar speaker on camera added to the list that I've worked with.

I couldn't have asked for a better and more genuine individual in the equine industry to work with. Thanks again Jonathan and I look forward to what we have planned - this is going to be magical.

PHOTOGRAPHING JUMPING: FIRST YEAR COMPLETE

My first year photographing jumping is done...well technically 11 months but let's just call it a year since the big events of the year are done.

So where do I go from here? Expect to see me at one of the FEI Shows in 2019. Which one that will be is still to be determined but my dream would be the Nations Cup in Dublin Ireland. I am looking to take my adventures on the road, this was always my goal from the get go.

If anyone would like to chime in with their input on any of the international FEI shows, please do!

This is one of my very first photos that I took last October photographing jumping for the first time at Spruce Meadows in the warm up ring. At the time, I knew absolutely nothing about this discipline but thanks to some coaching from a couple amazing individuals in the English world, I was able to make some pretty big strides in a very short period of time.

I knew that with my vision in the photographic world, combined with the help and expertise from experienced jumping coaches that there was great potential to be had. I definitely would not be where I am today if it wasn't for them.

Perfect photo? Not by a long shot, but this photo set the path for me in terms of my learning.

BEFORE AND NOW

Well that was quite the change looking back at what I was doing exactly one year ago today to now. Completely different environments and industries, but my skills and experience all carried over.

I wanted to get out of the studio and corporate setting and move into the equestrian world working with the most amazing creatures on earth in natural settings.

THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF EQUINE DENTAL PRACTITIONERS

Had another great sit down session with Grant MacKinnon this afternoon. It's very exciting what he has in store and I am honored to be a key part in helping him and the Canadian Association of Equine Dental Practitioners get there.

As much satisfaction that I get from educating myself in life, I get even more enjoyment when I share my knowledge and expertise with others in assisting them achieve their goals and put their plans into action.

Grant is truly one of the best in the horse world. :)     .