Last year I realised the gravity of how hard it is to find fulfilment and wellbeing, when you’re not accomplishing something that truly matters to you. Something that really resonates with your heart and desires. In my gut I knew I was selling myself short, but ended up coasting along and just getting on with things. It was easier. For the most part it was comfortable, predictable and financially safe.
It turns out that I am somewhat of a cliché. I had that moment, that ‘aha’ moment, on my 30th Birthday while walking our rescue dog Hiro in one of Hong Kong’s beautiful tree tunnel trail walks. I realised that if I didn’t make a change, there was a genuine danger that I would be looking back at my life with regret, for giving my best years away to priorities that were not my own. There and then, I made the difficult decision to resign from successful employment just shy of 8 years.
I will always be forever grateful for the close relationship I had developed over the years with the company M.D. She had proven to be nothing short of a dedicated mentor since hiring me straight out of university. I genuinely felt like I was part of her family. Under her wing, I fully understood the power of embracing professional accountability and personal integrity. These two principals will forever lay as the foundations for any decisions affecting my endeavours to build a strong business. Resigning was one of the hardest decisions I have made, for the most part, because I knew how disappointed she would be. After the initial shock, she took the decision with pure grace and support, clearly understanding the importance of following one’s heart in the pursuit of happiness.
I found the bravery to listen to my heart after many years; the strength to risk failure; and finally, the hunger to build my own business… and with that, after 16 years as a photographer, ‘Lullaby Images’ has been born.
As with most aspects of my life, I have this aberrant need to not only be in the driving seat for making decisions, but also be physically responsible for striking off every item on Lullaby Images’ humongous to do list. Where possible, we have tried not to outsource any aspects for the start up. The branding, web design, company incorporation and legal entities have been a steep learning curve; but it has been nothing short of a complete labour of love. Energy spent now only seems to tap into a more primal source of energy and continues to drive my passion forward. There is still lots to learn. I have found that embracing this challenge has only sparked more creativity and positivity, that I had feared was gone. It turns out, they were just a little lost in a maze of tall practical hedges.
Lullaby Images is a portrait studio specialising exclusively in newborn photography. I will not be doing wedding photography. No corporate events. No pet photography. My sole mission is to create beautiful timeless baby photographs for parents to cherish and share. Life is indeed not a dress rehearsal. This is it, the final cut. I want to dedicate my days to bringing more smiles and joy into this world. Making the best of it all. Embracing positivity. With a camera in my hand, I am present in the moment. I don’t need to be or want to be anywhere else, but where I happen to be.
Thank you to my husband, Nils, my family and friends.
You continue to help me face my fears. This one has been significant.
The fear of feeling naked and vulnerable, from putting my creativity out there into the world…