Behind the Lens: The Photo That Started It All

How a Simple Photo of My Daughter’s Cat Awakened the Photographer I Was Meant to Be

Every photographer has that one picture, the one that changes everything.

For me, it wasn’t a championship game or a paid shoot; it wasn’t even planned.

It was a photo of my daughter’s cat, Jingle.

I remember standing in my living room, camera in hand, seeing an image in my mind before I ever hit the shutter…

When I did, and that photo appeared on the back of the screen, I knew I had just crossed a line I couldn’t uncross; it was complete integration without even knowing that’s what I was committing myself to.

That was when I realized photography wouldn’t just be a hobby for me; it was something I was built to do.

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Find Your Passion

I’ve been around enough skilled people to recognize what real, raw talent looks like.

You can’t fake it, you can’t teach it, you can only uncover it;

That will rub some people who want “equality” everywhere the wrong way, but I don’t care, because it is true, some people are born to be better than you at what they do without even having to try…

I can’t prove it, but I’d always known I’d be a good photographer if I ever wanted to give it a try.

I can’t sing, I can’t take apart an engine, I can’t draw, and I can’t play an instrument, but dammit, I know how to operate a camera, and find a person’s story in a moment.

My mind and life experience had been quietly preparing me for this moment.

The lighting, the composition, the timing, none of that mattered; what mattered was that I could see the photo before taking it, and I could feel it.

That photo of Jingle wasn’t technically perfect, but it was alive, it had soul, and I knew how to connect and share it; it was proof that I’d found my thing.

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Before the Brand, There Was Belief

If you look closely at that photo, you’ll see a watermark that says “Small Family Photography.”

That was my first name idea.

And honestly, I love that it’s still there, as it reminds me of who I was back then, a guy who didn’t have all the answers, just a camera, a vision, and enough belief to try.

That watermark might look amateur now, but it was mine.

It was the moment I went from “someone with a camera” to “a photographer.”

(The rest of this post is for paid subscribers.)

If you’ve been following my work, you already know, these Friday posts aren’t just photos; they’re the stories that drive me to keep creating, pushing, and showing people how powerful simple moments can be.

Become a paid subscriber to see the full image, the backstory, and how one quiet photo of a family cat turned into the spark that built Z Photography and Media.

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The Story Behind the Shot