While speaking with a fan who had the courage to spontaneously add me on skype today, I had mild moment of clarity that I really wanted to share with anyone who decides to get off their butt and pursue their dreams.

I suppose each person has their own strengths and weaknesses and mine has definitely got to be some form of self-doubt. Organizing such a high-profile event like this Europe tour means that there are inevitable highs and lows that come with it. On some days, I feel untouchable – when things are just happening, constantly. The organizing, emails, planning… all that is great to me because it makes me feel productive and gives me purpose. That unending list of work somehow translates into: Great Job Ben, you’re doing the right thing.

And then of course, we have those inevitable silences… when nothing really does happen. The list of things to do hasn’t changed… but suddenly you’re waiting for news from a couple critical components, or something you planned and prepared didn’t quite go as planned, or someone somewhere threw you a nasty comment… and suddenly things just slow down. Nothing has truly changed: The list of things to do, the dream, the passion, the support… everything’s there yet somehow perspectives change and suddenly the excitement is gone. That untouchable high just became human again and the oddest questions can come up: Why am I doing this again? What’s the point?

So why am I writing this?

I’m writing to tell you that I am only human. That I too doubt, and hope… and that I probably have those same stupid doubting feelings that you do… but that I have decided to push those aside to chase my dreams. That if I can do it, so can you.

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Speaking of dreams, I received an email a few days ago from a fellow photographer by the name of Morgana Creely off in Melbourne with a peculiar thank you. We had met virtually about a year back where she had asked if I would answer a short five question interview so she was not a complete stranger to me. Finding her story quite interesting, I asked if she would be so kind to do a small intro and write up for the blog. Here it is:

Hi, I’m Morgana Creely, a part-time photographer from Melbourne, Australia. My passion is creating images that tell stories.

My serious addiction with photography started roughly six years ago. We’d bought a new DSLR for my husband Martin [a part-time motorsports photographer] and he encouraged me to have a go. At first I was really intimidated [I don't know what I'm doing! It's expensive, I don't want to break it!] but after Martin patiently showed me the basics I was immediately hooked.

I have always had an overactive imagination and photography lets me play the “what if” game, creating images that tell stories with a twist. Even though I always have way more ideas than I could ever shoot, I’m always looking for inspiration. The photographers who inspire me, such as Gregory Crewdson and Drew Gardner, are masters of both storytelling and lighting.

I first came across Ben’s images on Facebook, really interesting, striking and sometime out there images [who else would ]

It’s very easy to look enviously at someone “living the dream” and think “no matter how much I want that, it will never happen”. I know how this feels. Following Ben online as he does amazing shoots, and then started to put his “Von Wong Does Europe” together, living my dream seemed impossibly far away. But I still wanted to support the project, partly because I really like Ben’s work, and partly because if I couldn’t “live the dream” I wanted to help make it happen for someone else.

Somehow over the next day or so my attitude towards my own photography began to change. I’m in a very different place in life to Ben in many ways; quitting my day job and organizing an amazing trip to Europe is just not possible. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t start to work on the things I want to achieve; and maybe help my friends do the same.

So thanks Ben for giving me the kickstart I so sorely needed.

Links:

Webpage: www.morganacreely.com
Blog: http://mcreely.blogspot.com.au/

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