About me:
Hey! Great to meet you!
My name is Vincent. I picked up a camera at the age of 28, mostly out of boredom to be honest, because my day job as an “account manager” was very uninspiring.
When 5pm hit, I would leave the office and roam the streets of NYC, camera in hand, discovering more in a day than I would in a month. The camera made me curious about other cultures. It allowed me approach strangers and get to know them. It made me judgement-free, adventurous, and curious. It was exhilirating!
Then, one lucky day, my best friend called me on Skype from Bhutan while I was on my work-lunch break. He said, through a terrible internet connection, that he wanted to launch a travel company there and that he wanted me to help him with the photography. He claimed he had a 1-year visa with my name on it, BUT, there was a catch… he said, “You have to be here in 2 weeks. It’s the only way I can make it happen.”
Two weeks?!??! That would mean, “I would have to quit my job TODAY! Book my flights, TODAY! And tell my friends and family that I would be gone for one year and moving to a country they have never heard of, TODAY!!”
It was wild! But if you know me or you knew me, it was the story I’ve always wanted to tell and the moment I had always been waiting for.
First, I stepped into the office lobby and called my parents. They knew it was the opportunity of a lifetime. A 1-year visa to live in Bhutan isn’t easy to get, I explained, and my dreams of being a “travel photographer” could be fulfilled. New Job Title Unlocked!
Then I bought my flights. Then I bought some ridiculous travel gear, totally unnecessary purchases, as if I was hiking Everest for a year. And of course, I confidently walked into my my manager’s office and gave my two week’s notice. He was cool with it, maybe a little excited himself. Then I told my manager’s manager… Big Boss Man. He was ummm, confused… What is Bhutan? He tried to convince me to stay in my promising role as an “account manager”… by that point I think you could guess what happened.
Ten years later, I can tell you that the best thing that ever happened to me in life was picking up that camera. It’s not about the pictures—even though making beautiful images is very fulfilling—it’s about the experiences the camera brings me and the freedom I have to be whatever I want to be. I’m grateful to have stumbled across it. But I can also tell you I tried many things prior and failed, something had to work eventually!
Today, I do a variety of things creatively. It’s hard to keep myself focused on one thing. But that’s also the beauty of it… I get to decided what direction I want to take my life in, RIGHT NOW. I’ve promised myself never to be bored, to always be meeting my potential, and to always CREATE while making others happy in the process.
Thanks for reading!
Vincent