Hey there! Welcome to Creating a Mark. I am Mark and I am finally learning something that I always wanted to ever since I can remember, Photography.
Back when I was in grade school, I looked forward to every Wednesday, for one reason it was library day! We would get 50 minutes to roam around our school’s library filled with hundreds of books for readers with a first-grade level all the way up to high school. But I went to one section repeatedly, the National Geographic section. I would page through these books filled with amazing photos of wild life that I hoped to one day see in real life, outside of the local zoo. After our 50 minutes was up, I would check out a few of these books for the week so I could get my fix until the next Wednesday. This went one week after week.
I remember thinking how was anyone able to capture these pictures? How can someone travel the world and life a life of adventure like the people in National Geographic? That is what I want to do with my life!
After grade school, my passion for photography continued. My father is an armature sports photographer for my High School alma mater. I would join him on the side lines for a few of the sold-out games as his “assistant just so I could get into the games. While by his side, he would often let me take control of the camera for a quarter. This seemed unreal at the time. I would have a blast photographing my peers.
Sadly, as time went on society got in my way and I lost sight of that dream. I didn’t think that I could pursue my dream and support myself at the same time. I was always told to work hard in school, go to college, get a well-paying job and do that for the next 40 years. So, that’s what I did. I finished High School in the top 20%. Then went to the University of Cincinnati, Lindner School of Business on a half ride scholarship. I was in the Kolodzik Business Scholars, which represented the top 5% of the Business students, majoring in Industrial Management with a minor in Operation Research. How did I choose that you might ask. Well, that’s the path my brother choose and he was doing alright.
Now after graduating college and working my 9-5 for about a year now I have asked myself one simple question, am I truly happy?
Answer: No. So, I thought back to my past for my true calling. And you know what I found? Photography. So here I am, on a journey to learn all I can, sharpen my technical skills and pursue my first passion that I can recall. And I want to bring you along for the ride! So, over the next few weeks I am going to be sharing what I learn. All the tips, tricks and hacks. I’ll also be posting daily on my Instagram account, @markrapien. So, follow me there and comment on any of my pictures. Tell me what you like and what you don’t like.
Cheers,
Mark Rapien