Yesterday, while wrapping up a beautiful behind-the-scenes shoot with Justine, a wave of pure gratitude hit me. Looking at the camera, checking the lighting, and seeing the creative vision come to life, I had to take a moment to realize just how far I’ve come.
If you look at my portfolio today, you see a thriving food photography business. But what you don’t see is the messy, terrifying journey it took to get here.
Almost 9 years ago, I boarded a plane to Australia. To make this move, I had to do something that broke my heart at the time: I had to put my corporate career aside.
For a long time, I felt like an absolute failure.
I was constantly haunted by the “ghosts” of my past professional life. I would sit awake at night questioning everything. What about all the years I invested at the university? What about my hard-earned experience? Did I make a massive mistake? It felt like I had crashed into a wall and was forced to start from absolute zero.
For years, I carried the guilt that I wasn’t pursuing my corporate career path. But with time and perspective, I finally found clarity.
When I look back at my corporate days, I realise that I was successful, and I was happy—but only to a point. I loved my team. I loved the wonderful people I worked alongside, and if I’m being completely honest, the camaraderie of a team is something I deeply miss today.
But I wasn’t happy with the work itself. My heart wasn’t in it.
Today, I can proudly say that everything happens for a reason. I am finally in a place where I can think, create, and take photos without the suffocating weight of old expectations. I am doing what truly fulfils me.
Yes, freelance life can be incredibly lonely when you go from a bustling office to working by yourself. Because I miss that team environment, I am now intentionally focusing on building a beautiful community of creative friends and professionals around me here in Adelaide.
If you are standing at a crossroads, feeling the terrifying weight of starting over—whether it’s moving to a new country, changing careers, or chasing a creative dream—please know this: Starting from zero is not a failure. It is a clean slate.
Never apologize for choosing a path that brings you joy. The alignment is entirely worth the fight.
