ser·en·dip·i·ty [ser-uhn-dip-i-tee]
I had nearly talked myself out of starting my 365 Day People Picture Project challenge but I had a moment of serendipity while I was out walking on one of my favorite trails. I did 14 miles on Saturday and since I don't listen to an iPod on my walks/hikes, I spend a lot of time thinking. The start of my walk was spent trying to talk myself back into the challenge. I was thinking about everything from how I would find my subjects, to how I was going to pack a camera and laptop around every day for the next year, along with my lunch bag, gym bag, and purse.
I was near mile 8 and I had been thinking about the Epiphanie Belle camera bag/purse I had picked up on ebay, and totally love, but I wishing that I also had the larger Clover style bag which could accommodate a laptop along with a camera body and lenses. I was so bummed and stressed and thinking that I shouldn't start the project until I get the larger Clover bag. I knew I was creating one more obstacle to prevent me from starting the challenge. I came to my senses and convinced myself that I can easily get by with the smaller bag, and a tote for my laptop, until I have it in my budget to purchase the larger bag.
Keep in mind, I'm out on a forested trail, fairly early in the morning. It's not out in the middle of nowhere, but the beauty of the trail is that it makes you feel as though you're out in an isolated forest. As I'm having this mental debate, I'm rounding a corner which takes me from an area of the trail which is pretty dense with trees and then enter a cemented area which is actually a private boat ramp for the fancy-schmancy homes in the area and all of the sudden I see it…an Epiphanie Clover bag right there at the start of the boat ramp. WHAT? How could this very unique and specialized bag be sitting right in front of me just as I'm thinking of it?
I looked up to find its human and saw a woman taking pictures of the lake. I asked her, "excuse me…is this an epiphanie bag?" I knew it was. I've been obsessing over them for the past month or so. She said "yes, feel free to take a look." I poked around a little and told her I didn't want to break anything. She had several lenses and was obviously a professional. She came over and we chatted for several minutes about how great the bags are. It turned out that she is a wedding photographer. I told her I was thinking about starting a 365 day photo challenge, explained I'm not a photographer and really don't even know how to use my camera properly, and asked if she gives private lessons. I liked her immediately. She made me feel completely comfortable and I thought she would make an excellent teacher. She said that she didn't give lessons but her husband does and she gave me his card. I could have visited with her all day but I realized that a very patient young couple, her clients, had appeared and were ready for their session.
Talk about a lucky discovery! Serendipity! In one moment, right as I'm having in internal debate on whether or not to start the project, I run into a professional photographer whose husband happens to give private photography lessons and I get to see the bag I've wanted in person. (I determined it is exactly what I need to help keep me organized for the project.) I figure her husband must be as friendly as she, so I already know that I'd like to take a few lessons from him. I don't even feel the need to shop around. Not only was this encounter serendipitous, but it was also a big fat neon sign. I'm on the right path.
Meeting the photographer at that very moment just reinforced that everything is going to work out as long as I have the courage to try.