Chasing my dream.
You never know what you have until it is gone. When life is going along smoothly, many people have a tendency to take good health for granted along with every other wonderful gift that is being enjoyed at the time. However, when good health is threatened, it doesn’t take long to realise that nothing else in the world is as important or matters so much.
I do not want to see myself working too hard and breakdown one day.
After a whole year of working on two full-time jobs, being a full time Network Engineer for British Telecoms (BT), the largest Telecom PLC in UK, AND a freelance wedding photographer travelling on assignments, physically and mentally, I am tired.
Finally, I’ve decided to hand in my resignation notice to my manager. I was quite nervous at the time, not knowing what he would say. I explained to him honestly about the reasons why I am leaving and that my heart is no longer with the IT world. To my relief, he is fully supportive of my decision to go ahead and also shared with me many inspirings stories where permanent employees have handed their notices in, in order to pursue their passion.
I am a full-time professional wedding photographer now! I have never felt so happy and relieved before, for the past 12 months I have been struggling with this decision, but I am glad that I have come to this stage in life. I love what I do, and I think being a photographer is one of the best jobs in the world.
Please give me some support in my continuous journey in chasing my dream 🙂
I would like to dedicate my special thanks to these people whom I appreciate so much for their constant support.
– Lawrence Tsang (http://lawrencetsang.blogspot.com), a photographer with “heart”, thank you for your kind advice and support.
– All my friends especially Candy Wong, Wing Tat, Joanne Ng, Joseph, Su Lee, Alexis Yau, Sino & Gary McBeth, Stanley and family, Ivy Chow and Chung.
– My family in Hong Kong, and extended family in Malaysia.
– All my past, present and future clients who appreciate my work, you make it all worthwhile.
– Last but not least, my wife, Ling. Thank you so much for everything that you have done for me.
Finally, I’d like to share a quote from an amazing French photographer whom I admire greatly: Henri-Cartier Bresson.
To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy. – Henri Cartier-Bresson
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27 Comments
Joanne
Leung, I’m so happy for you!! So proud of you that you are chasing after your own dreams… your passion… take care of your health!
Candy 18
You finally made this decision. I’m glad that you are pursuing your dream. Enjoy it!!!
Support u!
Liza
Ken, I’m so happy for you (and the wedding industry!)… I always knew you’d come to this conclusion as you’re so talented, I truly believe you’re meant to be doing this. Work is wonderful when you get to share your passion with others every day.
Good luck, and I hope I see you again sometime soon.
Liza 🙂
Susan S W Wong
Ken, I knew by the end of last year you’d become a full-time photographer at some point in 2009. Obviously it has taken plenty of consideration to come to the decision, but I’m most glad to hear that you’ve finally chosen to do what you’ve always been destined to do. It’d be so stupid to have you locked up in the boring office and your brain fried by all these PCs! It’d have been such a waste of tremendous talents if you stayed on with your IT work. Look forward to many more masterpieces to come! Most proud to have you as my friend and my wedding photographer.
Su
Well done Ken! I’m very happy for you, you will do great as a full time wedding photographer because you’re very talented and such a nice person. I’m glad you finally decided to give up your full time job, I’m surprised you didn’t do it sooner! I believe this is what you are meant to do, photography full time, you’re not chasing the dream, now you’re living it! Best of luck Ken, I hope to hear from you soon 😀
Su xx
Lenard J C Lim
Hi Ken?
Cool!! Sometime you need to burn the bridge to move ahead…
No worry you are doing great!
All the best and good luck!!
P.S. Do drop me a line if you are coming over to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
Cheers
Lenard
Alexis
Hi Ken,
I am so happy that you are finally doing what you really love doing, your passion. Chasing the dream is often a hard struggle but you have done extremely well so far and I wish you continued success on your journey. I know you will as you believe in your dreams and can make them a reality. Also you are so fortunate to have such a supportive wife in Shirley, what a wonderful lady she is.
As you know I have been unwell for a long time and what I have learned is it’s so important to look after & value your health. Without health you have no wealth, you have nothing…so i am glad you are not stressing yourself out with doing 2 jobs at once!
If you and Shirley ever need any health tips or recommendation to a good chinese doctor just ask! I may not have a career right now but I find I can help friends and family with health tips haha…So that is my job for now!
Take care and always remember to look after your mind, body and spirit.
Alexis x
Pauline
Hi Ken,
I’m so happy for you. Not that many people could work for what they truly love; nonetheless, very few even know what their passion is in their lifetime.
Wish you all the best and many many more business to come!
Warmest regards,
Pauline
Ina
恭喜你呀! 為你高興, 因為你咁努力, 你係值得的.
Stanley Cheung
Hi Ken,
It’s good to see you making such a hard decision. As a young man, you should dare to pursue your own dream.
You remind me of motto in my school hall almost 20 years ago:
“As much as you are able, that you should dare to do”
Cheers,
Stanley
P.S. Looking forward to meet you in HK when you come back.
Cherry Ee
Hi! Ken
As family we are proud of you. No regrets, no turning back, no worry, just march forward! You are not an ordinary photographer, I strongly believe you will be a “STAR” one of these days!
Ling, you have played your role as a good wife!
Love & regards from everyone in Malaysia!!
By: Sa Kor
Eve
feel great for you. even we have not met or work together I know this is your passion and happy that you are working on something you love.
Enjoy!
welcome to be one of the “work from home” gang, when we use the computer in pyjamas
Johnny
Good Ken, and I’m sure you’ll continue to try your best and have the enthusiasm in your photography!
Support you!
Fiona & Selwyn
Hi Ken,
So happy for you. I know it is not easy to make the decision. Life is short and I’m happy to know you have impetus to pursue your dream.
I’m sure you will be very successful.
Carmen
You are so talented and if you had chose to ‘not’ walk down this path, then we are truly wasting good talent… so now you can put all of your efforts into what dreams and passion are made of!
Congratulations and well done … as it is always a big decision to make. But I am sure that myself and the rest of your fans will agree, this will be the best decision you will have made and we are extremely pleased for you!
Wishing you all the success in the world!
Eric Liu
Confidences have always been your strong suit. You stuck to your guns and pursue your dream even in the toughest of weather.
There will be tough times along the way, do remember to keep your head up and look forward. Your considerate wife and your ever-supporting friends and family will be cheering you on. All the best
Shedden Ee
Bro, you DID IT! I’m glad you made a decision that I believe you will never ever regret! I only regretted I didn’t do it earlier, so I’m glad you didn’t take long to find the courage to do it!
From all of us in the family, I wish you all the best and keep up the good work. I’m sure you will be a celebrity photographer VERY SOON!
Naomi Wong
Hey Ken, Congratulations that you’ve finally made your decision to go after what you really want!! I’m so happy for you!! All the best!!
Shirley Kong
Proud of you and I’m sure you’ll do us proud….
Eric EE
Congrates ,congrates and congrates…chase ur dream and u have no regret..hope u can take more and more photo and always better than the previous 1…..All da best..hope to see u soon when u come back to Malaysia with Ling Ling
Tom Waldis
Dear Ken! I feel very happy for you and your decision. I often come to visit your homepage and I’m always deeply impressed by your pictures. I hope to see you the day you travel to Switzerland! Best wishes for the future
Tom
Jan
Congratulations, Ken. That’s a great news! 😀
Sandy
Hello Ken
So glad to hear that you found your dream! not many people have really done that or even know what they really want. So congratulations for all and best wishes for the future and send my love to all your family and Shirley! Miss you both all!
Take care and be happy!
sandy
Lawrence Tsang
很開心，你終於踏出這一步，一個不簡單的決定！也是一條不易行的路，不過既然是自已喜歡的事，多辛苦，也一定會開心的，很高興你加入了我們的行業！努力呀！gogogogo
Dirk van der Werff
I have followed your work for the last year via Flickr and this website, and as a full time pro in the North East of England who also is commissioned to photograph wonderful weddings, I salute you for your talent and wish you all the best in your new career.
You will blow the opposition away, apart from me of course!
Well done Ken in your decision and choice of career.
andy hung
Ken bro hope it’s all going really well and chasing your dream hope no regrets and your passion is growing day by day…. remember you’re chasing your dream but your fulfilling everyone’s dreams by creating such time stopping images that no one else can capture like you…..
I’m so proud that you have found your dream and carry on no matter what bumps might be on the ride… keep taking those pictures (priceless work of art)
See u soon and keep up the good work!
Li Sze
Congratulations for chasing your dream! Am truly happy for you, Ken!!
Here’s to you on your wonderful journey to becoming more than an exceptional photographer.
Cheers!