Anyone who loves Photography will tell you, you never forget your first camera! It was a hot morning in Florida, US on the 7th May 1994. Not just any old morning, but the one which I turned 7. We were currently on holiday in a stunning Villa in Florida with lots planned including my first trip to Disney World! We were one week into our three week trip and I'd woken up excited that it was my birthday, as you often are as a child, but little did I know what a difference this day would make.
My present from my Mother and Father was a small basic film camera, my first! I remember the paper it was rapped in the amount of batteries it took to run, everything. This one day in my history would later define who I was here to become, as from that day on, there was no stopping me taking a photo.
I once remember visiting Canada for a family reunion, my first visit to this beautiful country. I had with me a film camera and was currently going through a stage of photographing anything I thought looked good, I even remember photographing a slug near a river at the reunion site whilst everyone else was enjoying a BBQ. The only problem with my sudden impulse photography was, that back then there was no such thing as a Digital Camera. I was allowed to take with me six 36 exp films, well what a bad move on my parents side. I used all six and of course this meant I wanted the photos printing, resulting in a rather large bill for my parents, however the images to this day are still up in frames at my parents house in my old room. Even then I think my parents could see my Passion.
I went from there really, collected several boxes of photographs and eventually digital files, all of which are still stored safe....it's nice to look back from time-to-time.
It came to that time of life which most teenager's hate, where do I go from here. It was time to choose what to do at college after high school. Having received an unexpected B grade (my only good grade, as I'm more of a practical person) in Media Studies I had chosen to study it further. However pier pressure kicked in the day before my course was due to start and I changed my plans and became a sheep... not an actual sheep, but a 'follwer'. I didn't want to do a course non of my friends were doing so close to the deadline I moved to the ILEX Legal Secretary course to be with friends. Looking back now had I gone with my gut I would have had qualifications in the correct industry which in later life became a huge part of me. I'll never forget this fact as it's a lesson learnt and one which I share with young fans I talk to on my Facebook account (Sara Callow Scp II). Always follow your heart!
I realise I'm now babbling, but hey, it's my first blog, I'm a newbie. Anyway, in 2008 after pursing a short lived modelling career, I finally decided to learn more about the technical side of photography, rather than just clicking a button on an automatic camera and assuming that's a good photo. I was again bought a present from my parents which would change my course into history, a full lighting kit, backdrops and of course, a camera, a Canon 450D.
Looking back at these images now, I laugh, there hopeless, terrible lighting, bad choice of settings and over edited, all round bad photos. It wasn't until a model friend of mine introduced me to a man I now consider an adopted Grandad, Mr Jim Carter. Jim has been working in the industry for over 40 years and although old school, was full of knowledge which I was lucky enough to be taught. I began using Jim's studio on a regular basis learning as I went, and in that first year alone I still can not believe my growth.
It had begun, Sara Callow Photography was upon us and was going nowhere!......
