Valery Zyuz

Two years ago I decided to quit my 8 to 5 job and become a professional photographer. It took me two years to take an actual action. My last day in office was March 15, 2020.  Three days later the government announced a country lockdown due the Covid 19 pandemic. What a great time to start a photography career and not be able to go outside.

This story is about following dreams and why there is never the right time to do it. My photography journey started when I was 13 years old and I got my first camera. It was a film camera by Olympus. Taking photos was a pure joy. And naturally I got a tiny thought in my head that maybe one day I would become a photographer. This thought has followed me through all my life.

First try was to be a photographer in the army, but my application was denied. It gave me the feeling that I’m not good enough and not ready to become a "real" photographer.  I went to university, got a degree I never used and started a job in a high tech company. During these years most of my free time was dedicated to photography. I was taking self portraits and doing small projects here and there.  

The thought of “one day I’ll be a  photographer” never left me. But every time when I was thinking about it there was a “but”: but I’m not ready, but first I should earn some money, but I’m not good enough, but I just can keep it as a hobby. All these “buts” justified me not trying to pursue my dream for almost 10 years. But recently I’ve discovered the biggest “but” of them all was “but I’m afraid”.  I was afraid to try it out, and discover that I can't be that photographer. I did not believe in myself and was afraid my fear come true.  It is much more fun to have a beautiful idea in my head of being a photographer one day rather than try it and fail it. 

Today I understand that if you have a thought that follows you since childhood it is called a dream and it doesn’t like to be ignored. Today I’m 31 years old, and starting my photography career in the middle of a global pandemic. It could be another “but” for me,  but I don’t afraid to fail anymore. 

The idea is that there is no right time to do what you want and there is always some kind of “pandemic” going on, most of the time in your head. If you have a thought to try something and it follows you, despite your attempt to brush it away with excuses and logical explanations, do it now, because dreams don’t like to be ignored and the “right” time doesn’t exist. 

I don’t know if I will succeed as a photographer and we'll be able to run the business properly during this time, but it doesn’t stop me. I’m trying it for the sake of trying and will define my success later, once I feel like it. For now I’m doing my personal projects, learning to make videos, meeting new people and writing this blog. 

Thank you for your intention. 

See you