Hi Everyone!
I am sitting here completely speechless, crying ugly happy tears as I write this. A few months ago I was contacted by Ben of Practical Photography Magazine based in the UK. They were looking to interview me for their July issue. They hadn't interviewed a fashion photographer in a while and were hoping I would be interested. Of course I was! I couldn't believe they wanted me! They have interviewed photographers such as Annie Leibovitz, Kirsty Mitchell etc., so to be put in the same category as some of my idols was such a wonderful feeling.
Ben sent me a few pages of questions to go over and I sat and really thought about how I wanted to answer. I need to take a moment and thank my Mum and my future mother-in-law Barb for all of their help. After many emails back and forth he sent me the first initial draft and I remember sitting next to my fiancé reading it and all of a sudden breaking down in tears. Happy tears of course. I couldn't believe this was my life. A magazine that I have stacks of in my bookcase, that interview some of my favourite photographers were interviewing me. Me! It still feels surreal.
I couldn't wait to shout this from the rooftops. Now that the day is here I'm struggling to put everything I want to say into words. Today the July issue released in stores and on their app. To see my name, my words, my work in those pages is truly an accomplishment I am so proud of. I have loved photography since I was 15. I have loved fashion photography since I was 21. I am only three years out of University. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be experiencing these amazing opportunities. I do photography because its my passion, its my heart, its my love. To see your name being recognized all over the world is so unbelievably overwhelming in the best possible way.
I need to take a minute and thank you. All of you. From the bottom of my heart I cannot thank you enough. You give me that push to keep working hard. To keep doing what I love. From the people who have supported me since day one to the people who are new to supporting my work. Thank you. I could repeat it over and over and it wouldn't come close to saying how much it means to me. I will never be able to thank you enough. I will never forget it for the rest of my life.
To my parents, I couldn't have done this without you. From day one you have told me to go for my dreams and reach for the stars. You have helped push me to achieve them even when I was ready to give up but you never let me. Without both of you I wouldn't be here today writing this. I love you both so much and can't thank you enough for everything you have done for me. To my fiancé, thank you so much. You are the most amazing man in the world and I am incredibly lucky that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. You are one of my biggest supporters. Thank you for everything you do for me and encouraging my crazy dreams. And to my future in-laws, Barb and Jim. You have become two of my biggest supporters. The love and encouragement I get from you two means so much to me. Thank you so much.
Reading the article and seeing my photographs on the 6 page spread gives me butterflies. I'm a small town girl from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. My name, my photograph and my work is now in magazines on shelves all over the UK. My home. I am truly blessed.
If you just believe in your wildest dreams, they will come true. Mine are.
Here is the link to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PracticalPhotographyMagazine/?fref=ts
Until next time,
Lisa-Marie xo