Lizzie and Sophie, the dynamic duo
Sony A7iii + 85mm 1.8

I remember forcing myself to wake up at 6am and dragging my feet out the door to meet Lizz and Sophie for a track and field photography session. It was painful—so painful. I mean, who wakes up at that ungodly hour? On top of that, I had no idea how to shoot fitness photos. In fact, it was my first time doing so, and I’m glad I soldiered through it. Today, thanks to them, I’ve had many opportunities to shoot and film for fitness instructors, gyms, and even larger rebranding projects.

That’s why, even to this day, I love these photos and the story behind them.

You see, opportunities will come knocking on your door whether you are ready or not. I’ve had many similar experiences, and most of the time I didn’t take them—mainly because I was afraid or felt I lacked the experience, skills, or knowledge. But then again, when are we ever truly ready? Sometimes we feel ready, and then something beyond our control happens that throws us off anyway. It’s a chicken-and-egg situation—it’s never perfect.

But the truth is, if you reject an opportunity, you’ll never know where it could have led, because you’ve already moved on without trying. Who knows—you might have become a champion.

Looking back, I’m always thankful that I took on the challenge. It taught me how to think outside the box and how to leverage my photography experience from unrelated shoots to make something new work. I’ve learned that once you have the technique and knowledge, it’s really about adjusting, adapting, and building confidence along the way.

In the end, the photos turned out great, the duo loved them, and I became Lizzie’s official photographer for her gym, Empower Fitness.

If there’s one message I want to share, it’s this: when an opportunity comes, take it with confidence. Figure it out along the way. Even if success isn’t guaranteed, there’s already a 50% chance of something greater unfolding. And even if you fail, you’ll definitely learn something valuable.

Come to think of it, if someone offers you an opportunity, it’s often because they already see something in you that you may not see in yourself. Sometimes, others recognise our strengths more clearly than we do.

So go out there, answer the door—but maybe check first… it could just be someone handing out candies. Dangerous.

Thanks for reading.

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The Stories Behind My Photos (Series 2)

With a Camera in my hand, I learned all about my life