Photography has been something I've carried with me for a long time.

When I was younger, my aunt gave me a camera for my birthday. It sparked something in me, and even then I knew that photography was something I wanted to pursue.

But, as life often does, things took me in a different direction.

I spent nine years working my way up through the hospitality industry, eventually becoming a manager and working 60+ hours a week. I loved the people, the atmosphere and the challenges that came with the job, but over time I found myself wanting something different — something that I could truly put my heart into.

Then life forced me to slow down.

FINDING MY WAY BACK

After experiencing some health problems, I had to step back from the pace I'd become accustomed to. It was during that time that I picked up my camera again.

And something clicked.

I fell back in love with photography.

What had started as a dream when I was younger suddenly felt like the path I was supposed to be taking now. I realised that sometimes life doesn't close a door — it simply gives you the opportunity to find a different one.

For me, that meant picking up the camera and walking down a new path.

And this time, I decided to follow the dream I'd put aside years before.

When I started a new job, I still kept my camera close. Every opportunity I had, I was out taking photographs.

At first, the images weren't anything extraordinary. But that didn't matter. I loved taking them. I loved being behind the camera, looking at the world differently and seeing what I could create.

I wanted to understand the craft properly, so I enrolled on a Level 3 Photography course. I immersed myself in everything I could — from understanding how to take the photograph, to composition and lighting, through to editing and developing the final image.

And from there, I haven't looked back.

I started attending automotive events, photographing at Brands Hatch, visiting car shows and heading to weekly bike nights — anywhere I could have a camera in my hand and an opportunity to create something.

With every event, every shoot and every photograph, I continued to learn and develop my own style.

What started with simply wanting to take photographs became something much bigger.

I found myself wanting to create images that made other people stop, look and feel the same excitement I felt when I pressed the shutter.

That's what keeps me picking up the camera.

TURNING A PASSION INTO SOMETHING MORE

As much as I love my job, I found myself wanting to make photography into something more — something I could do every day, something I could continue to grow and be proud of.

I was talking to a friend one day about photography and the opportunities that could come from taking it further. They suggested that I should start my own photography business and create a website to showcase my work.

So I did.

That conversation became the starting point for Blur & Snap Studio.

What began with a camera I was given as a young photographer has grown into a passion I now want to turn into something much bigger.

I'm still learning. I'm still developing. And I'm still looking for the next photograph that makes me stop and think, that's the one.

But that's exactly what I love about photography.

There is always something new to see, something new to learn and another story waiting to be captured.