I believe we all know the quote: “No matter where life takes you, never forget where you came from.”
This is one thing which has stuck by me since I have started my business. It’s so easy to forget the day of small beginnings, but I hope I never, ever forget where I came from. I love looking back. Looking at my first logo, my first business card, my non-existing blog and website :) and then I smile, because most of us start somewhere around there.
I still remember the first few weddings I shot, that made me excited and nervous at the same time. I remember waking up wondering if I charged all my batteries :). But after the chaos of admin turns into a system that works and you finally figured out how to create a Facebook page and when you get your WordPress blog going and you do that first post – it is then when you sit back and think, it was all worth it!
This blog post is a small encouragement for those of you who are starting out. It’s the beginning of a new season in more than one way! Enjoy it, take it slow and if there is one tip I can give you, it would be to never, ever compare yourself with anyone else. You are unique and your path is unique. Take every opportunity with both hands and make the best of it. And remember to smile!
A picture of a road or a road sign always excites me. It’s probably a really boring picture, but in my mind it tells a story…here follows a little story of when Iaan and I visited his home town for the first time. Iaan was born in Prieska in the Northern Cape and lived there for 12 years. A few weekends ago I had the privilege to visit the town with him. He showed me around all the places he remembered as a child. It was so special to capture these few memories for him. As we grow older we tend to forget. I hope I never forget!
My mom is originally from Prieska :) And my grandmother worked (and lived) in the school hostel for many, many years. We went to visit her a couple times while she was still there, but I haven’t been in Prieska in aaages! :)
Great post, and beautiful pictures, as always :)
wow dankie Christine
nice people come from small towns ;-)
what a lovely nostalgic trip.
I love the photos and your honest words… as I am starting out as a photographer. I feel nervous and excited at the same time, but ready for my new beginning! Your photos and words are inspirational! So Thank You!
hoe verlang ek nou terug na my geboorte dorp…dit is pragtig Christine!! wel gedaan…
great advies christine, baie dankie! mal oor die fotos! absoluut stunning! x
Beautiful but it looks so deserted. Does no one live there anymore?
What did you shoot these on Christine? lovely
Beautiful post and very good advice! and the photos are stunning, I love the northern cape so so much… am completely homesick now!
THANK YOU Christine…for making us realise that even though we are still at the beginning of an extraordinary journey, we will get to those road signs leading us to a new destination, it may sometimes be lonely uncertain paths but it will be our vision and dream that will get us there…through doing what we LOVE we create lasting memories to look back upon and realising that we have came a long way!
It seems that the last few months have been filled with so many little bits of inspiration and encouragement for me. I am about to take a first step into a new and exciting, yet terrifying era of my future (going fulltime tog) and your post was just so fitting. Thx for the kind encouragement as always!
This is absolutely special! Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding ‘the beginning’. You are so right about remembering where we come from. One more important thing to remember is… that, it’s the journey, not the destination :) Rock on!
That’s one thing about the Northern Cape – when you go back, it’s like you’ve never left…..always a home to go back to
My ouma het net so duskant Prieska gebly, en ek het menigte vakansie in daardie stof strate om gespeel! Ek wil graag n naweek weg reel vir my en n paar fotograaf vriendinne om al daai memories te capture! Jy het my weer nuwe lus gegee met hierdie pragtige kiekies!
I really needed to hear those words today. Thank you.
I saved this post in my new photography bussiness’s folder under: INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION! Thanks.
Wow! Thanx for reminding me!
Came across this post just at the right time :)
thanks so much for the advise – something we need to remind ourselves everyday! Stop comparing ourselves to others!
Beautiful images
Ja, Christine! Ons mag nie vergeet van waar ons gekom het nie!
Ek sou in Afrikaans of Engels kon skryf maar ek hou liewers by Duits.
Geboren und aufgewachsen in Suid Wes Afrika, verursachen deine Bilder zusammen mit deinem Text ein riesen großes Heimweh!
Was tut man wenn man 10000 km von zu Hause weg ist und nicht so schnell zurück kann? In Erinnerungen schwelgen und sich daran freuen das es Menschen wie dich und Iaan gibt die nicht vergessen woher sie kommen. Denkt auch daran das wir nicht nur bis gestern, bis zum beginn unserer Firma, bis zu unserer Geburt zurückblicken sollten, sondern auch noch weiter. Vergessen wir nicht wer unsere Großeltern gewesen sind! Unsere Aufgabe ist aber noch größer, unseren Kindern vermitteln woher sie gekommen sind.
-:-
Lovely pictures. Just brings back lovely memories, when I was a childe. My dad was born in Prieska and I remember going to the farm, Wonderdraai, every June holiday. I would lov to go back to take some photo’s as well.
Beautiful pictures, and words!
xox
HI Christine. I went through your entire website and these pictures resonate with me. Everything you write on this page echo’s what I’m going through! NIce to know I’m not alone :-)
Anina
Hi! i like layout and especially the color treatment, how did you achieve this color?
thanks.
OMW julle voel nou soos Familie. Ek is ‘n born and bred Prieska inboorling! Nooit gedink die dorpie kan so mooi uitgebeeld word nie. Jy laat ons verlang en gee heimwee. Kan nie wag om weer huistoe te gaan nie! Baie dankie.
EK hoop julle het bietjie Prieska Mampoer geproe ;-) Indien nie, moet julle ‘n punt daarvan maak.