an underwater portrait photographer is exactly what it sounds like I take
exactly what it sounds like I take
exactly what it sounds like I take pictures of people underwater for living
pictures of people underwater for living
pictures of people underwater for living in Billings Montana
in Billings Montana
in Billings Montana now nothing about that sentence should
now nothing about that sentence should
now nothing about that sentence should make any sense there is no logical
make any sense there is no logical
make any sense there is no logical reason why I should have that career
reason why I should have that career
reason why I should have that career based in Billings I do not own my own
based in Billings I do not own my own
based in Billings I do not own my own swimming pool so I’m limited to shooting
swimming pool so I’m limited to shooting
swimming pool so I’m limited to shooting in places around Billings Montana that I
in places around Billings Montana that I
in places around Billings Montana that I can borrow which there aren’t a lot or I
can borrow which there aren’t a lot or I
can borrow which there aren’t a lot or I have to shoot outside in the lakes in
have to shoot outside in the lakes in
have to shoot outside in the lakes in Montana which most of you probably know
Montana which most of you probably know
Montana which most of you probably know are positively freezing so I can only
are positively freezing so I can only
are positively freezing so I can only realistically shoot about three or four
realistically shoot about three or four
realistically shoot about three or four months out of the year now I should tell
months out of the year now I should tell
months out of the year now I should tell you this isn’t something I always knew
you this isn’t something I always knew
you this isn’t something I always knew that I wanted to do I was never that
that I wanted to do I was never that
that I wanted to do I was never that person I was taking in photography
person I was taking in photography
person I was taking in photography classes in high school I didn’t major in
classes in high school I didn’t major in
classes in high school I didn’t major in photography in college I never had my
photography in college I never had my
photography in college I never had my camera on my hip I’m always taking
camera on my hip I’m always taking
camera on my hip I’m always taking photos of people that wasn’t me that’s
photos of people that wasn’t me that’s
photos of people that wasn’t me that’s not how this got started now I always
not how this got started now I always
not how this got started now I always dreamt of having a creative career I
dreamt of having a creative career I
dreamt of having a creative career I always wanted a job I would be
always wanted a job I would be
always wanted a job I would be passionate about but when I started
passionate about but when I started
passionate about but when I started college I was told to major in something
college I was told to major in something
college I was told to major in something practical something real so you get a
practical something real so you get a
practical something real so you get a real job that makes real money and have
real job that makes real money and have
real job that makes real money and have a real house and a family and everything
a real house and a family and everything
a real house and a family and everything that goes with it so my first semester I
that goes with it so my first semester I
that goes with it so my first semester I majored in aerospace engineering which
majored in aerospace engineering which
majored in aerospace engineering which wasn’t a great fit so I switched to
wasn’t a great fit so I switched to
wasn’t a great fit so I switched to physics and then biology and then
physics and then biology and then
physics and then biology and then psychology and all of this switching
psychology and all of this switching
psychology and all of this switching from one major to the next should have
from one major to the next should have
from one major to the next should have been a sign I should have realized then
been a sign I should have realized then
been a sign I should have realized then this was the voice in the back of my
this was the voice in the back of my
this was the voice in the back of my head imploring me to please do something
head imploring me to please do something
head imploring me to please do something that I truly cared about but of course I
that I truly cared about but of course I
that I truly cared about but of course I didn’t listen and by the spring of 2011
didn’t listen and by the spring of 2011
didn’t listen and by the spring of 2011 I was finishing up my internship for a
I was finishing up my internship for a
I was finishing up my internship for a master’s program I had already been
master’s program I had already been
master’s program I had already been accepted into medical school taking the
accepted into medical school taking the
accepted into medical school taking the MCATs was set to leave in the fall and
MCATs was set to leave in the fall and
MCATs was set to leave in the fall and it hit me how unbelievably and utterly
it hit me how unbelievably and utterly
it hit me how unbelievably and utterly depressed I had become I came home I
depressed I had become I came home I
depressed I had become I came home I told my now husband if I don’t make a
told my now husband if I don’t make a
told my now husband if I don’t make a drastic change right now if I don’t do
drastic change right now if I don’t do
drastic change right now if I don’t do something creative and meaningful for a
something creative and meaningful for a
something creative and meaningful for a living I’m going to collapse into myself
living I’m going to collapse into myself
living I’m going to collapse into myself like a dying star and he agreed
like a dying star and he agreed
like a dying star and he agreed immediately problem was I didn’t know
immediately problem was I didn’t know
immediately problem was I didn’t know what that was so I made a list I thought
what that was so I made a list I thought
what that was so I made a list I thought of every single creative job I could
of every single creative job I could
of every single creative job I could possibly think of from actor sculptor
possibly think of from actor sculptor
possibly think of from actor sculptor painter
painter
painter a graphic designer breakdancer any
a graphic designer breakdancer any
a graphic designer breakdancer any creative job in any creative field it
creative job in any creative field it
creative job in any creative field it went on the list and then I narrowed it
went on the list and then I narrowed it
went on the list and then I narrowed it down based on three criteria one I
down based on three criteria one I
down based on three criteria one I wasn’t moving
wasn’t moving
wasn’t moving my husband’s entire family lived in
my husband’s entire family lived in
my husband’s entire family lived in Billings I grew up in Montana we both
Billings I grew up in Montana we both
Billings I grew up in Montana we both loved it here we weren’t going anywhere
loved it here we weren’t going anywhere
loved it here we weren’t going anywhere – I wasn’t going back to school I had to
– I wasn’t going back to school I had to
– I wasn’t going back to school I had to accept the fact that any career I chose
accept the fact that any career I chose
accept the fact that any career I chose had to be something that wasn’t going to
had to be something that wasn’t going to
had to be something that wasn’t going to add to my already current existing
add to my already current existing
add to my already current existing student debt of about $40,000 and three
student debt of about $40,000 and three
student debt of about $40,000 and three I had to take anything off the list that
I had to take anything off the list that
I had to take anything off the list that I couldn’t physically do so starting a
I couldn’t physically do so starting a
I couldn’t physically do so starting a career as a ballet dancer at 27 years
career as a ballet dancer at 27 years
career as a ballet dancer at 27 years old with zero dance experience I wasn’t
old with zero dance experience I wasn’t
old with zero dance experience I wasn’t going to physically be able to do that
going to physically be able to do that
going to physically be able to do that at the end of this process I was left
at the end of this process I was left
at the end of this process I was left with four options writer musician cake
with four options writer musician cake
with four options writer musician cake decorator and photographer on a hunch I
decorator and photographer on a hunch I
decorator and photographer on a hunch I chose photographer I didn’t even own a
chose photographer I didn’t even own a
chose photographer I didn’t even own a camera so I ordered one on eBay and the
camera so I ordered one on eBay and the
camera so I ordered one on eBay and the instruction manual that came with was
instruction manual that came with was
instruction manual that came with was entirely in Spanish which I do not speak
entirely in Spanish which I do not speak
entirely in Spanish which I do not speak which meant a lot of lights on YouTube
which meant a lot of lights on YouTube
which meant a lot of lights on YouTube researching buttons and knobs and
researching buttons and knobs and
researching buttons and knobs and settings and terminology and googling
settings and terminology and googling
settings and terminology and googling actual phrases like how to take good
actual phrases like how to take good
actual phrases like how to take good photos and at the same time I was also
photos and at the same time I was also
photos and at the same time I was also researching how to build a business out
researching how to build a business out
researching how to build a business out of this
of this
of this so who hires me for this how much do I
so who hires me for this how much do I
so who hires me for this how much do I charge how do I do any of this I started
charge how do I do any of this I started
charge how do I do any of this I started taking photos of families and high
taking photos of families and high
taking photos of families and high school seniors and then I gradually
school seniors and then I gradually
school seniors and then I gradually we’ve been to weddings where I found I
we’ve been to weddings where I found I
we’ve been to weddings where I found I could make a pretty steady income and
could make a pretty steady income and
could make a pretty steady income and weddings were kind of my jam for a while
weddings were kind of my jam for a while
weddings were kind of my jam for a while and within a year I had created a
and within a year I had created a
and within a year I had created a profitable business problem was I was
profitable business problem was I was
profitable business problem was I was bored again so I started experimenting
bored again so I started experimenting
bored again so I started experimenting with some more artistic forms of
with some more artistic forms of
with some more artistic forms of photography and I found myself toying
photography and I found myself toying
photography and I found myself toying with the idea of shooting portraits
with the idea of shooting portraits
with the idea of shooting portraits underwater I hadn’t seen it done a whole
underwater I hadn’t seen it done a whole
underwater I hadn’t seen it done a whole lot and it seemed kind of impossible
lot and it seemed kind of impossible
lot and it seemed kind of impossible which is really attractive to me but the
which is really attractive to me but the
which is really attractive to me but the more researched underwater photography
more researched underwater photography
more researched underwater photography gear the more I found that it was
gear the more I found that it was
gear the more I found that it was incredibly expensive
incredibly expensive
incredibly expensive we had a mortgage my husband was working
we had a mortgage my husband was working
we had a mortgage my husband was working as an assistant baseball coach at the
as an assistant baseball coach at the
as an assistant baseball coach at the time we did not have a huge disposable
time we did not have a huge disposable
time we did not have a huge disposable income to buy this stuff so instead I
income to buy this stuff so instead I
income to buy this stuff so instead I thought I’d build my own now I went
thought I’d build my own now I went
thought I’d build my own now I went through about six different prototypes
through about six different prototypes
through about six different prototypes all of them failing miserably
all of them failing miserably
all of them failing miserably mostly due the fact that I won
mostly due the fact that I won
mostly due the fact that I won completely underestimated the amount of
completely underestimated the amount of
completely underestimated the amount of water pressure that resides just a few
water pressure that resides just a few
water pressure that resides just a few inches below the surface and – when it
inches below the surface and – when it
inches below the surface and – when it comes to conventional building materials
comes to conventional building materials
comes to conventional building materials I found out that the term waterproof
I found out that the term waterproof
I found out that the term waterproof doesn’t mean waterproof there were a lot
doesn’t mean waterproof there were a lot
doesn’t mean waterproof there were a lot of casualties that’s my camera and a
of casualties that’s my camera and a
of casualties that’s my camera and a bowl of rice turns out that little trick
bowl of rice turns out that little trick
bowl of rice turns out that little trick for pulling water out of iPhones doesn’t
for pulling water out of iPhones doesn’t
for pulling water out of iPhones doesn’t work at all with cameras but after about
work at all with cameras but after about
work at all with cameras but after about six months of experimenting I finally
six months of experimenting I finally
six months of experimenting I finally had one that worked and prototype number
had one that worked and prototype number
had one that worked and prototype number six or Calypso is made out of PVC pipe
six or Calypso is made out of PVC pipe
six or Calypso is made out of PVC pipe superglue and Plexiglas to test it out I
superglue and Plexiglas to test it out I
superglue and Plexiglas to test it out I brought down to a local hotel that had a
brought down to a local hotel that had a
brought down to a local hotel that had a swimming pool and I just pretended to be
swimming pool and I just pretended to be
swimming pool and I just pretended to be one of the guests and walk right to the
one of the guests and walk right to the
one of the guests and walk right to the back carrying something that admittedly
back carrying something that admittedly
back carrying something that admittedly looks very much like a pipe bomb I just
looks very much like a pipe bomb I just
looks very much like a pipe bomb I just got in the water I put my camera inside
got in the water I put my camera inside
got in the water I put my camera inside and I attached an automatic shutter
and I attached an automatic shutter
and I attached an automatic shutter release so it would just keep firing and
release so it would just keep firing and
release so it would just keep firing and firing until the card filled up I sealed
firing until the card filled up I sealed
firing until the card filled up I sealed it up and I wedged it under the pool
it up and I wedged it under the pool
it up and I wedged it under the pool ladder and I would go out in front just
ladder and I would go out in front just
ladder and I would go out in front just dance around in front of it and I would
dance around in front of it and I would
dance around in front of it and I would come over periodically and feel the
come over periodically and feel the
come over periodically and feel the sides and if I couldn’t feel the shutter
sides and if I couldn’t feel the shutter
sides and if I couldn’t feel the shutter vibrations anymore I knew the card was
vibrations anymore I knew the card was
vibrations anymore I knew the card was full so I pull it up take the card out I
full so I pull it up take the card out I
full so I pull it up take the card out I download it onto my laptop sitting
download it onto my laptop sitting
download it onto my laptop sitting poolside and put the card back in and do
poolside and put the card back in and do
poolside and put the card back in and do this again and again and again and later
this again and again and again and later
this again and again and again and later that night I went home and I went
that night I went home and I went
that night I went home and I went through about 10,000 images only one was
through about 10,000 images only one was
through about 10,000 images only one was decent not great but it was proof that
decent not great but it was proof that
decent not great but it was proof that it works though I should also mention
it works though I should also mention
it works though I should also mention I’m allergic to chlorine so as I’m
I’m allergic to chlorine so as I’m
I’m allergic to chlorine so as I’m sitting at home going through thousands
sitting at home going through thousands
sitting at home going through thousands of images my eyes were burning and
of images my eyes were burning and
of images my eyes were burning and swelling shut my ears were ringing my
swelling shut my ears were ringing my
swelling shut my ears were ringing my entire body was covered in some rash and
entire body was covered in some rash and
entire body was covered in some rash and all for a photo that wasn’t even that
all for a photo that wasn’t even that
all for a photo that wasn’t even that good and all I could think was this is
good and all I could think was this is
good and all I could think was this is awesome
awesome
awesome if only I could do this for a living I
if only I could do this for a living I
if only I could do this for a living I thought you know what why the hell not
thought you know what why the hell not
thought you know what why the hell not so I sat down and I made a list of
so I sat down and I made a list of
so I sat down and I made a list of everything I thought an underwater
everything I thought an underwater
everything I thought an underwater portrait photographer career might
portrait photographer career might
portrait photographer career might entail what would this look like in
entail what would this look like in
entail what would this look like in reality what kind of people would hire
reality what kind of people would hire
reality what kind of people would hire me for portraits what businesses or
me for portraits what businesses or
me for portraits what businesses or industries could benefit from somebody
industries could benefit from somebody
industries could benefit from somebody with this particular skill set and as I
with this particular skill set and as I
with this particular skill set and as I forced myself to answer these questions
forced myself to answer these questions
forced myself to answer these questions this fantasy job that I had made up in
this fantasy job that I had made up in
this fantasy job that I had made up in my head 20 minutes ago start to become a
my head 20 minutes ago start to become a
my head 20 minutes ago start to become a very real very tangible career right
very real very tangible career right
very real very tangible career right there on the paper everything I wrote
there on the paper everything I wrote
there on the paper everything I wrote down that day is exactly what my career
down that day is exactly what my career
down that day is exactly what my career is based on today I now take a variety
is based on today I now take a variety
is based on today I now take a variety of underwater portraits ranging from
of underwater portraits ranging from
of underwater portraits ranging from maternity to Family Photos highschool
maternity to Family Photos highschool
maternity to Family Photos highschool seniors who are surfers and swimmers to
seniors who are surfers and swimmers to
seniors who are surfers and swimmers to underwater engagement sessions I travel
underwater engagement sessions I travel
underwater engagement sessions I travel the world and shoot underwater
the world and shoot underwater
the world and shoot underwater advertising campaigns for swimwear and
advertising campaigns for swimwear and
advertising campaigns for swimwear and tourism I work with modeling agencies
tourism I work with modeling agencies
tourism I work with modeling agencies and help them expand their model
and help them expand their model
and help them expand their model portfolios and my favorites I get to
portfolios and my favorites I get to
portfolios and my favorites I get to display my work in art galleries and
display my work in art galleries and
display my work in art galleries and licensed images to book covers and album
licensed images to book covers and album
licensed images to book covers and album covers it’s so often we think of our
covers it’s so often we think of our
covers it’s so often we think of our passions as just fantasies and we never
passions as just fantasies and we never
passions as just fantasies and we never dig any deeper than that
dig any deeper than that
dig any deeper than that we remain unhappy and dissatisfied for
we remain unhappy and dissatisfied for
we remain unhappy and dissatisfied for years based on preconceived constraints
years based on preconceived constraints
years based on preconceived constraints of a career and a life we never fully
of a career and a life we never fully
of a career and a life we never fully explore chances are your dream business
explore chances are your dream business
explore chances are your dream business probably has a very realistic set of
probably has a very realistic set of
probably has a very realistic set of steps required to make it happen and
steps required to make it happen and
steps required to make it happen and those steps will be difficult those
those steps will be difficult those
those steps will be difficult those steps will be confusing and it’s the
steps will be confusing and it’s the
steps will be confusing and it’s the first time you’ve ever contemplated
first time you’ve ever contemplated
first time you’ve ever contemplated turning whimsical fairytales into a
turning whimsical fairytales into a
turning whimsical fairytales into a legitimate business those steps will
legitimate business those steps will
legitimate business those steps will also probably seem impossible but the
also probably seem impossible but the
also probably seem impossible but the longer we keep those ideas locked away
longer we keep those ideas locked away
longer we keep those ideas locked away in a box
in a box
in a box the longer they remain just this mess of
the longer they remain just this mess of
the longer they remain just this mess of hopelessly complicated variables so sit
hopelessly complicated variables so sit
hopelessly complicated variables so sit down grab that pen and piece of paper
down grab that pen and piece of paper
down grab that pen and piece of paper and work through those variables and
and work through those variables and
and work through those variables and before you know it you too may turn your
before you know it you too may turn your
before you know it you too may turn your dream business into your day-to-day
dream business into your day-to-day
dream business into your day-to-day reality thank you
reality thank you
reality thank you [Applause]
”
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