Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Christin Dreams of Photography

On a recent lazy weekend, my husband, Matt, and I stumbled across the Japanese documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi.  The film focuses on Jiro Ono, an 85 year-old (in 2011) sushi chef and his continuous pursuit of perfecting the art of sushi.  Jiro's opens the film with the following quote:

Once you decide on your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work.  You have to fall in love with your work.  Never complain about your job.  You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill.  That is the secret of success and is the key to be regarded honorably. 

It's funny how the timing of certain things occurring in life can be either so perfect or so incredibly wrong.  For me, seeing this film and hearing that quote, at this exact moment in my life, was perfect timing.  It was an additional piece of inspiration to add to my growing list.  

While the phrases "fall in love with your work" and "never complain about your job" seem so simple on the surface, I feel that many people would be afraid to express such sentiments.  It is as if the idea that a person should expect to love their work and enjoy their job is taboo.  Why is pursuing passion instead of security thought of as frivolous?  Isn't there the potential for combining the two?    

In deciding to take this new direction in my life I have to believe that that potential exists. 

So I have set off to master my skill.  

My first step has been research.  You can't get very far without a plan and you can't make a successful plan without doing some research.  So I am researching everything - the business of photography, the art of photography and the me of photography.  

One of the first lessons I have learned (aside form the importance of an online presence) in researching the "me of photography" is that I need to find my photographic niche.     

What do I want to photograph?  

                People? 

               
               
             Things?

Or something else entirely?  The options are endless!

I'm still working on this lesson, but I am loving this work and not complaining.  That said, according to the words of Jiro Ono I am on my way to success and being regarded honorably.  :-)