#whatever makes his joke delivery land the hardest

[sciderman]

Does she do a *good* British accent?

is there truly such a thing as a good british accent? this is still up for philosophical debate

[nctsjiho]

Official

warnings: none

era: July 2021

❀ Some people just don’t enjoy relationships getting teased as much as others

“Okay so you two had your first date-” “JiHo’s first date.” Lucas corrected Ten, showing off one of his cheeky grins when he noticed aforementioned girl glaring at him. “Okay let me quickly clear things up. It was NOT a date-” “That’s not what you told me.” Lucas wiggled his brows at JiHo, who seemed to lose her patience with every second. Just in time, Lucas moved away from her before she could hit him.

Kun and Xiaojun just fondly smiled at the duo while Ten and Yangyang impatiently waited to continue interrogating them.

The whole of WayV - plus JiHo and minus Winwin, who was still in China - were all gathered together in Kun, Ten and Yangyang’s dorm, talking about anything and everything they could think of. Somehow the topic of JiHo and Lucas’ surprise “date”, even if JiHo refused to call it that, that happened a few weeks prior came up and soon enough everyone turned to the two who, in Yangyang’s words, were “conveniently sitting next to each other”. JiHo only rolled her eyes at his words. She was too late in trying to steer the attention away from her, so she decided to keep her focus on her phone while the others blabbered nonsense.

“Are you guys official now?” Ten asked, his excitement showing clearly in the way his eyes jumped between Lucas and JiHo and how his fingers tapped his knee. “Ahh~ Oppa! It’s not like that.” JiHo whined exasperated. “I would believe you, but wasn’t yesterday like your third date now?” The older boy poked, cheeks almost hurting from how much he was grinning.

JiHo turned to look at Lucas who was just smiling at her. “It’s just because he was in China for a while, so I like hanging out with him as much as I can before we get busy.” “What about us?” Yangyang asked, feigning offence. “I hang out with you guys too! But none of you ever ask me to hang out. Lucas does.” “Oh- Isn’t it ‘Lucas oppa’ for you? I see you’re on first name basis now.”

At Yangyang’s teasing, JiHo turned her head slowly towards the boy, her eyes turned into small slits. A nervous chuckle escaped the boy’s lips before JiHo jumped from her position to him and grabbed him into a chokehold. “Liu Yangyang.” She whispered dangerously into his ear. The boy quickly started tapping JiHo’s arm to let him go. And she did. Reluctantly.

The other 5 men in the room just laughed at the two youngest teasing and play-fighting with each other.

Once the two had settled a bit, JiHo turned to Lucas one more time. “Aren’t you going to say anything?” Lucas' smile only brightened when he noticed the small pout on the girl’s lips. His heart melted and he reached out a hand to pat her hair. “I’m sorry.” He then turned to Ten, his hand still remaining on top of the girl’s head, continuing to pat and ruffled her hair softly. “She’s right though. We’re not official.” “Yet.” Xiaojun added with a smirk on his face, eliciting another laughing fit from the boys when they saw JiHo roll her eyes.

“Okay, okay…” Ten said between laughs, trying his hardest to calm down. “First date, lots of gifts, pictures, even nicknames.” He listed. Ten looked back up with a grin JiHo wasn’t excited to see. “So when’s the first kiss happening?” “FIRST KISS?”

Kun stood up and threw a pillow towards the laughing Thai boy. “They’re too young for that!” When it was clear to him that his laughter wasn’t going to stop soon, he threw another pillow and left the room with a scoff and a chuckle he tried to hide as much as possible.

Xiaojun and Yangyang had already joined Ten with their laughter. Clutching their stomachs and mumbling nonsensical things between their uneven breaths.

Lucas had a small smile on his face, but it quickly fell once his eyes landed on JiHo. Just a few seconds earlier she had yelled the same words as Kun did. Now her eyes landed on none other than Hendery, who had been quiet for most of the conversation. His eyes were in exchange locked onto JiHo’s. He, even though no one else really noticed, had also uttered those words in disbelief.

Lucas felt his stomach twist uncomfortably as he watched the intense staring match go down. To him it looked like the two weren’t even registering that the other was looking right back at them. It was interesting - or at least confusing - to Lucas, because for the past weeks JiHo and Hendery hadn’t talked, let alone looked at each other, for more than was necessary as to not cause any “suspicion”.

Not wanting it, whatever that staring contest was about, to last any second longer, Lucas placed his hand on JiHo’s shoulder consequently snapping her out of her trance and making her snap her head back to face him. “Don’t worry about Ten hyung. He’s just joking around.” He smiled at her. Her eyes wavered for a split second before she nodded her head. “Ah~ Yeah I know. Just surprised me, that's all.” She tried to mirror his smile, only producing an awkward one of her own, but even that was absolutely adorable to Lucas.

They continued to look at each other for a few seconds, even though JiHo seemed very distracted before Lucas turned to the group and grabbed his phone. “Okay! What do you guys want to eat, I’ll order for us.” Xiaojun and Yangyang quickly regained their composure at the mention of food and started throwing out some suggestions.

Ten watched as JiHo leaned her head against Lucas’ left bicep, peering over his arm to the food delivery app on his phone and uttered a small “They’re cute,'' blissfully unaware of Hendery’s empty stare at the same couple.

[sope-and-shine]

Christmas Special: Day 4

-> Pairing: Jimin x Reader -> Elf!AU // Kinda platonic-kinda romantic -> Word Count: 3.6k -> Summary: Working as Santa’s go-to elf has it’s ups and downs. ->Warning(s): None?? If you don’t like Christmas don’t read maybe??

A/N: This one is so late. It’s not what I planned originally, but it’s still pretty on point with what I was going for. I’ve spent so much time on this that I can’t spend anymore. Sorry for any mistakes or things that don’t line up! I hope it’s at least enjoyable!

Christmas is a magical time for everyone of all ages. It’s a time of laughter, joy, and togetherness. Families come together to celebrate the holiday with merriment, practicing traditions as a whole. Celebrations of many different kinds and of many different backgrounds from all over the world! Despite the nip of chilly air and harsh weather across the globe, it was still welcomed in the Christmas spirit. Couples - old and young - using the cold as an excuse to stay close to one another. Shop owners and their employees excited for the days off they would have to bask in the Holiday cheer. Nobody in their right mind wanted to work on Christmas.

Nobody human that is.

Elves were all about Christmas, they work around the clock 349 days a year to ensure that Christmas Eve runs smoothly for everyone. Elves of all shapes and sizes run around doing whatever job they were assigned to prepare for such a large event. Not the short, shrimpy characters that children imagine, but the full grown, working Elves. The North Pole is only ever at a standstill Christmas Day, the next three days after, and both days of Christmas Eve if you weren’t a part of the Santa’s roster. It’s a special night for everyone, and Elves love to celebrate their hard work before they get back into the swing for the next year ahead of them.

You - like a select few - are one of Santa’s Elves. Not to say that all Elves aren’t Santa’s Elves, but you’re a part of the special bunch that help the big guy stay on track throughout the year. Santa has 8, including yourself, that take care of issues within the Pole so he doesn’t have to do it all on his own. Each elf was given a special task that was given based on their own skills and personal traits that Santa entrusted them with for the success of the holiday season. 

Santa’s shops were run and operated by three Elves: Seokjin, Hoseok, and Jeongguk. All toys were manufactured in the toy shop with Seokjin, inspected - and decorated if it was called for - before they were sent to Hoseok to be boxed or wrapped, and finally sent to The Dome with Jeongguk to be sorted for the Christmas run. Seokjin was a great toy maker, arguably one of the best in the shop! Not only were his skills amazing, but he has one of those personalities that just made you want to keep going and work harder with every word of encouragement he gave you(Even is he did throw in poorly timed puns and cringe worthy dad jokes). He gave his all to his Maker Elves, and Santa trusted him to keep toys chugging along the conveyor belts. Hoseok was another bright personality that lit up the Decoration and Packaging Shop. He was especially good at decorating and wrapping when he first started in the shops, and it didn’t take long before Santa appointed him his current position within the shop. His bubbly personality kept everyone in bright spirits throughout the day, and it made working long hours much easier. Especially when he’d turn up Yoongi’s station and blast the holiday tunes throughout the workshop speakers. Jeongguk stopped by everyday, three times a day to collect and move to The Dome where all the presents are separated and split for Christmas Eve. His natural strength made his lead an easy placement for the big man in red, almost a no brainer since the boy could handle almost anything. Jeongguk wasn’t only in charge of ensuring the bags were filled correctly, but he also made sure Santa’s sleigh was ready to go and in tiptop condition. His go-to and happy attitude made him an even better candidate.

Then there was Yoongi and Taehyung. Yoongi worked in the broadcast tower reporting weather and keeping the music going across the Pole to help with the Holiday cheer. Taehyung worked in the stables with the reindeer taking care of them everyday, up until it’s time for take off on Christmas Eve. Neither boy was any good in the workshops with Yoongi falling asleep at his wrapping bench and Taehyung ignoring the color patterns placed in front of him. Their attention spans were pretty limited, and a lot of the elves had given up on them very early on. But Santa wasn’t as willing to just brush them aside. He discovered Yoongi’s love for music as well as Taehyung’s fascination with the reindeer and gave them a new start. Santa saw them at their best even when others saw them at their worst, and they made it their mission to do their job correctly and efficiently so Santa could continue to help others just like them. 

Elves including Namjoon; a tall, clumsy elf with no real knack for anything that he was given. Toy making, decorating, wrapping, cooking, baking, reindeer care, naughty or nice tracking, and mail delivery. Everything that one could think of, he’d already proved he couldn’t do it. But Santa knew better than to write him off. He’d seen Namjon in action, when he forgets for just a second that anyone is actually watching. He’s helpful, kind, and very headstrong. He thinks before he speaks and encourages others even when he can’t encourage himself. That’s why Santa placed him in the school where he can observe the younger elves and help guide them to where they should go. This way - in those special cases - they have someone who knows what it’s like to not really be a good fit.

A good job for Elves that didn’t make toys well or couldn’t decorate as nicely as others was Naughty or Nice Tracking. It’s a small department, it was probably the second most important to ensure Santa’s Naughty and Nice lists stay on track. It’s an exclusive group of 20 to 30 Elves that go out into the world and check up on children. They could be troubled, they could go from one list straight to another out of the blue, or they could just need a helping hand. The Naughty or Nice Tracking Elves made sure that if a child wasn’t tracking right, they were list jumping, or they just needed a friend, that someone would be able to check on them. They were lead by Jimin, another Elf who didn’t really enjoy making toys. Decorating was nice and wrapping wasn’t terrible, he just didn't find any joy in either activity. Not like the joy he felt with looking after and encouraging children to be good and kind to others.

Then that left you: Santa’s right hand. You were what kept everything running while Santa stuck to his own schedule. If Santa was in the Naughty or Nice Tracking Department, then you were in the broadcast center checking up on Yoongi and the elves he worked with. If Santa was getting his fill of cookies, then you were checking up on Seokjin and Hoseok in the workshop to make sure nothing was going astray. You collected the mail from the millions of children writing to Santa  and delivered it directly to him, your personally made sure the reindeer were being brushed and had fresh supplies - Really, you just wanted to give some good boys pets. You knew Taehyung could handle it. You made sure Namjoon wasn’t having any trouble placing Elves, reporting back to Santa is there was anyone that needed an extra push. But most importantly, you made sure Christmas Eve loading, takeoff, travel, and landing went smoothly every year. You were one of the 8 that opted out of a few more days off in favor of spreading joy across the globe to those in need of it. 

Without the 8 of you, Christmas would be a bust. That’s why as Christmas gets closer, everyone gets a little more tense. The Naughty or Nice Tracking Elves were working double what they were before, sometimes going days at a time without being seen. Breaks in the workshops happened more often as the days got shorter and the weeks started to disappear. Hours and minutes ticked by faster and faster, almost cutting themselves in half if you looked away for even a moment. Seokjin and Hoseok always took it the hardest as they tried to account for and encourage everyone that Christmas would be fine just like every other year. Jeongguk has already reported to you about a stack of boxes that had toppled over in The Dome, and had to send them back to Jin and Hobi to make sure they weren’t damaged on the inside. Yoongi always tried his hardest to stay awake longer than he normally would at the beginning of the year, but requests usually come piling in for him to. Elves begging for songs to be played, sometimes the same song appearing so often that Yoongi has no choice but to repeat for a while. But that usually stresses others out after hearing it constantly being played. Christmas music may be the majority of what they play at the Pole, but even Elves have their limits. Taehyung has to be extra careful with who he lets into the stable as Christmas quickly approaches. Reindeers are emotional creatures just like any other animal, and they’re hyper aware if someone is anxious or stressed. They have a tendency to sort of self destruct if they get too worked up. If someone looking for relaxation comes in and stresses out the reindeer, then everyone will have an even bigger problem on their hands.

Your pile of chores only grows higher as days continue on. With more shop breakages, the more supplies need to be ordered. You’d had to ask Mrs. Claus to go twice this month already, and it was just past December 8th at this point. If the boys in the shop couldn’t calm down their workers, then you could see Mrs. Claus just sending you with another elf to collect. She was a busy woman herself making sure everyone had enough to eat, she couldn’t leave as often as you’d need her to at some point. She and her husband were very busy, and that left everything to you: The next in line. 

If anything was wrong, then you were the one everyone was supposed to go to.

“So, that’s where my problem is right now.” Jeongguk slides out from underneath the sleigh. Dirt and grime cover his cheeks and clothes, not to mention his brown hair is a mess. He’d decided to take a look at the sleigh early this morning to make sure everything was still tight and working well, but he found that there was something wrong with Santa’s engine. The hunk of metal wouldn’t start, and if it didn’t start then it wouldn’t float. If the sleigh wouldn’t float, then the reindeer wouldn’t even hit the snow at the end of the run. That left you in need of - once again - more supplies.

“And you’re absolutely positive that we don’t have any of these things here?” You asks, not even looking at the boy. You stare straight ahead towards the sleigh trying to recount every supply you’d gotten a week ago down to the tiny box of screws you ordered.

“I’m sure, (Y/n)! I promise, I wouldn’t have called you here if I didn’t think we needed it. Honestly, I was kinda hoping that as soon as you walked into The Dome it would just turn on.” He admits, resting his arms on his knees.

“Jeongguk!” Another Elf calls for him. He excuses himself with the promise to be back quickly, leaving you to get lost in your thoughts about everything. Perhaps if you got everyone to take a 10 minute break and stretch, then you’d be able to get them to calm down. Then again, they’d probably freak out that they’d just lost 10 minutes they could’ve used for working on their jobs for the day.

“Hey, (Y/n)!” The voice calling you out of your daydream was one you instantly recognized: Jimin’s. Just like most of the Naughty or Nice Tracking Elves, you hadn’t seen much of him either. You’d heard from him - being Santa’s right hand and all - but just that he was doing some last minute scoutings.

You turn to him, taking note of the change in his hair. He was blonde when he left, but it looks like he dyed it black while checking in on a few kids. His usually pointed ears were still tucked away in their covers, something Tracking Elves wore when they went to investigate their lists down south. You had a pair yourself for the trips with Mrs. Claus to receive the supplies every month. Despite it being new, it still suit him just like every other color he had already tried and wore beautifully. 

“Yeah? Did you need something?” You ask, tucking a loose strand of your own hair behind your ear. 

He reaches into a black messenger bag that hangs down at his side, and pulls out some papers, “I want to talk to you about some scheduling issues I’ve been having.”

You sigh. You were hoping he’d brought back more mail. You honestly had hopes that he brought you 10 times what he had in his hand if it meant you didn’t have any real problems to attend to, “Can I look at it a little later, Chim? Guk has a few problems of his own that I need to fix ASAP.”

“Yeah, I get that, but this needs to be done soon.” He stresses, shaking his papers a bit.

“I know, Jimin. I know! But I already have a pile of things that need to be done. Isn’t this something that you can look over?” You ask.

A look of guilt flashes over his face, his bottom lip tucking itself between his teeth. He looks like he wants to say something, but The Domes side doors slam open before he can speak, followed by a deep yell of ‘(Y/n)!’. You can’t help but sigh as you see not only Seokjin and Hoseok storming in, but Yoongi and Taehyung as well. Now, 6 out of the 7 people you were responsible for apparently had problems. You can’t help but think that if Namjoon walks through the door next, you might just scream.

“What?” You ask, not prepared for the onslaught they had prepared for you.

“My conveyor belt is broken! It won’t take the toys to Hoseok anymore!”

“-Heidi won’t eat any of her food and she’s just laying around. I think she might be pregnant!”

“-I’ve been trying to keep track of the weather forecasts, and I already found one predicting a hardcore blizzard in the Northeastern Hemisphere around Christmas.”

“-We don’t have any glitter.”

It takes a full minute to fully grasp what they all had said, but by that time Guk was back with yet another problem to add to the list only you can solve, “So, we ran out of spare lights for the run.”

The list just never ended at this point! This was your 4th Christmas as Santa’s right hand elf, but it felt like your first one all over again. This quite possibly had to be the worst one yet with how many problems kept coming up. Couldn’t any of them figure this out without bombarding you first? Guk’s matter were definitely the most pressing, and Taehyung had some leeway despite the need to come to you instead of the actual vet. Jin’s could be forgiven, but someone could easily take them over to Hoseok’s shop with the cart Jeongguk usually hauls them with until you could come to him. Hoseok...you weren’t even going to entertain this when he knows how to contact you about needed Decorating supplies.

All you needed was one break, just one!

“(Y/n)? Hey, I need your help! I broke the glass case in the school and I can’t find a broom.” Namjoon joins the group of boys surrounding you, obviously not picking up on the urgency that was going on.

“That’s it!” You huff. Too much. All of them were too much! You needed to get away from them before you lost it. Problem after problem with them, yet none of them could do it without you! They were grown Elves, they were told what they could do, not everything had to be reported to you directly and they knew that! 

You direct yourself to Jeongguk first, “I’ll get the supplies ordered today with everything else I have to reorder. I need to know by 5 o’clock if you need anything else, and that goes for all of you. Text me.” You send him away and nod Hoseok away with him as well. You turn, “Jin, have someone hand deliver until I can get a tech to go and check it out. If you can’t wait, then go grab one yourself. Joon, the broom is in the closet in your office that’s to the right of what you broke, that’s why you couldn’t find it.” You wave them away as well and immediately turn to Taehyung, “Tae, if you think she’s pregnant, please go and find the vet! Do not waste her time looking for me when she should be having a check up.” You sigh, shooing him away as well. “Thank you for informing me, Yoongs, but we don’t need these reports until Friday hits.” He nods in understanding and leaves just like the others, leaving you with Jimin by the apparently broken sleigh. 

7 problems not really fixed, one more to figure out. You take the paperwork Jimin still holds in his hands and glance at the shift numbers, running through a mental list before confirming what he’d have to do, “Just use some backup Elves from the on-call list. Tell the others first, but they should be able to help out until we can get through this year.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He takes his papers back, but he lingers behind to stand with you for just a moment longer, “Are you okay?”

You don’t miss the concern laced in his voice. You saw it with the others as you dismissed them - something you’d apologize for later - but he was the only one that stuck behind. “I’m fine, Chim.”

“Let’s take a walk.” He suggests. Well, it was more of a command than a suggestion. He’ll end up dragging you with him even if you say no, so there’s no real getting out of this one. You just nod in agreement and follow him out of the garage and into the Run of The Dome. Multiple conveyor belts move throughout the room, always staying clear of where Santa’s sleigh is supposed to go. There a few piles of gifts that have yet to be taken to the correct room, waiting for their assigned elves to come back to them. It’s quiet compared to what you’d just gone through, something you really needed at the moment. Jimin himself seems like he could use this walk more than you with how much he’s fidgeting. Like  he’s almost uncomfortable. 

“Are you okay, Chim?” You ask, looking to him through your peripherals as you walk around the room aimlessly. As annoyed and as stressed as you may be, you can’t deny that he must also be stressed out as well.

“I’m really sorry for coming to you with this when I could’ve done this myself. I just wanted an excuse to spend time with you since I haven’t seen you since I left last week.” He admits sheepishly.

His confession makes you blush and turn your head, a small ‘Thank you’ leaving your mouth. Park Jimin certainly had a way to mess with you, especially after you’ve been a butt. You sigh, “I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier. All of you at once with problems is just too overbearing.”

“You know, you are entitled to a break too.” He doesn’t look at you, he just walks next to you knowing that you’re listening to him. “You take care of everyone here, but you don’t take care of yourself.”

“There’s a lot going on right now, Chim. I can take care of myself, I promise.” You say. You’re not the least bit convincing however, as Jimin only sighs at you. 

You both walk closer to where the piles of gifts are set up, clearing the way of any stray presents that could fall off of a belt. It’s almost unreal to watch everything come together like this. The Dome was probably your favorite spot in the Pole besides the stables. Part of you wonders if Jimin has a favorite spot in the Pole. He was always gone, so there was really no way to tell with how little you saw of him.

“How was your trip?” You ask.

He shrugs, “Same as usual. Another child that was hopping from list to list. Turns out he wasn’t being naughty, his sister was blaming her faults on him. Stealing cookies, writing on the walls, salt in their father’s coffee. Let me tell you, it was not as fun as it sounds.”

You stop in front of a present pile and pick you up to inspect it, “Do you ever regret choosing that job?” 

“Depending on what I’m checking in on, I do. The children I see that have lost their hope and trust in Santa, they’re the ones that hit me the hardest since they’re usually the children in bad homes. They’ve lost faith in their parents so there’s no one else that they can trust.” He explains, tucking his hands away in his pockets. He shrugs, “I feel bad when I come back and remove those files from the lists, because I really don’t want to give up on them.”

“I feel bad when I can’t help everyone at the same time.” You admit, taking in a long, heavy breath, “Everyone has their own issues that are important to their department, but they’re not always important to me compared to the others. I forget that.”

“I don’t know, glitter didn’t seem that important to me.” Jimin chides.

“But it is! Sara Edwards from Richmond, Virginia and Kim Taeyeon from Gwangju, South Korea; both are 4 years old and they want Shimmer and Shine dolls! I can’t give them Shimmer and Shine dolls without any Shimmer or Shine!” You argue.

Jimins hands move from his pockets to rest on your shoulders, a proud smile just for you, “And that’s why you shouldn’t doubt yourself.”

You give a weak smile back, already feeling better from his quick little pep talk. It wasn’t a wonder why he was the head of his department. If you felt this relieved, then you wished you could see the kids when he comes to check in. It was powerful.

“Could I have an encouraging hug?” You ask, fingers tapping at the edge of your coat.

“If that’s what it takes.” Jimin laughs and pulls you into his chest, wrapping his arms around you in a big hug. He’s warm, and his fruity scent feels like home. You feel protected, like you’re with family. You must have the same effect on him with how he sighs in content, “Are you feeling the Christmas spirit now?”

“Yeah. I do.” You nod shyly, still tucked into his chest with your arms loosely wrapped around his waist. 

Christmas may be hectic this year, and it may just get worse next year. Everyone’s problems may not get resolved, and you may have a breakdown at some point before the presents even get packed into their bags. But at least you know you have someone who’s looking out for you.

[pauldeckerus]

What it Was Like to Move My Photo Business Across the Country

It’s 7:30 in the morning in Winnipeg and my wife awakens me to share the news that she has just gotten the job she has always wanted in Toronto. It has been six months since we had first planned our move to Toronto. All of the sudden, we were moving across the country in 3 weeks. This just got real.

I grew up in a small town outside Winnipeg, Manitoba. I like to joke that on a good day there were ten people who resided there. After graduating photography school in 2011, I found out quickly that the only way to make it here in photography was to start my own business. I guess I am more of an entrepreneur by necessity than by desire.

In 2012, I would start my business in Winnipeg, a town I had only lived in for a couple years with no money to speak of and little connections. I honed in on a few things that led to success, like having a good website and decent search rankings, networking with business people, and becoming somewhat of a community leader.

We had gotten to the point with the business where it seemed like there just wasn’t enough room to grow in Winnipeg. I had run my own photo gallery for about a year with mixed success, worked with many national brands from all over Canada, been to the Arctic and photographed over 36 National Parks in the last few years alone, and even become a part-time instructor at the college I graduated from a few years earlier. To outsiders I was probably very successful, to me I knew I had hit a wall and there was nowhere left to grow.

The downside of creative work is that you are in constant fear that one day it is all going to disappear completely. You will be left destitute. They will tell you not to end up like a “Robert Lowdon”, your brain whispers. It is how the mind plays with you, you know it is not real but those thoughts sneak in.

Getting work outside of Winnipeg was, or at least seemed, impossible; I would work with clients headquartered all over North American (and the world, actually). I would fill in pieces they needed out here, a location shoot, some agricultural ads, architecture, a national outreach campaign stopping in Winnipeg and so forth. When it came to the person who was being hired for the ultimate campaign, no one was looking at the kid shooting in Winnipeg (I’m 34 now).

In a couple of days we start throwing all of our possessions into three wood boxes on wheels to somehow magically appear in Toronto. Whatever does not fit in there goes into a tiny red Mazda 2. I will talk to you all day about how a tiny car will save you a fortune when traveling to shoots, but that is another topic for another day. Somehow we get this done, at a ridiculous cost but we make it happen.

When we arrive, we end up staying with my in-laws in Southern Ontario. Apparently it is almost impossible to find an apartment in Toronto without showing up with a bag of money in hand. We had not counted on that or the price of housing here. It was a little shocking. With some amount of dumb luck, we find a place, with credit checks, references, and a deposit in hand. That place happens to be in the center of the studio district in Toronto. The largest camera store in Canada is in within walking distance. That was dumb luck but a good sign.

After some confusion with the shipping agency, our containers arrive. We haul our giant boxes from the delivery point in Etobicoke (west of Toronto) to the east end of Toronto in the largest truck and trailer I have ever driven, in the largest city I have ever been in, driving down one of the busiest expressways in North America. Why do I do this to myself I wonder? The answer is I always have — it’s the “all or nothing attitude” my wife jokes about.

The business in Toronto didn’t come easy and it didn’t come right away. I think at some point I had developed a bit of an ego, maybe expecting clients to find me automatically. I don’t know. It is something that happens when you get near the top of your field (in Winnipeg), I think. You forget all of the things you loved about photography. The difficulty of trying to do something you didn’t think was possible, and the total reliance on yourself to get the job done.

You get to a point, I think every professional has been, where the money is running out, nothing is coming in, and you question the point of the whole thing in the first place. You know if you could just punch through and get the right people to look at your work, you would be busier than you have ever been. But those people don’t open their emails and things feel like they are going sideways.

Why did you throw away a good thing? The grass is always greener they would say. And then one day you say screw it; I would rather be a bike courier delivering food. After a little while, everything that seemed so bad with photography did not seem so bad.

The emails start to come in. You land your first national Job in multiple locations. You get back to the things that made you successful in the first place, shooting. Building up your website, and clients start coming to you again. That feeling of screaming at a wall has left.

It is now August and business seems healthy for the first time. I am holding my own now and new opportunities are coming in. Toronto is a great place with lots of opportunities, but at the same time, it is tough here. It doesn’t seem like there is a path to success, you just have to figure it out on your own. You’re five seconds from the greatest job you have ever shot and about the same from total failure. The reality is that it is a slow burn. That is how success actually happens over time, slowly building.

People are going to ask me what it takes to be successful in photography. It is simple, shoot good work, put it in a place people can discover it on their own, and be a reliable person. Do what you say and follow through. That is really it. And never stop pushing because the only person that can stop you from getting what you want is yourself.

So moving across the country to find success is honestly really hard. It is one of the hardest things I have done, but the harder thing would be the knowledge that I never tried. I always say to my wife: imagine the best way it could go. Now imagine the absolute worst. What will happen is right in the middle.

About the author: Robert Lowdon is a commercial photographer now residing in Toronto. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Lowdon may have delivered you chicken nuggets at one point in time. You can find more of his work on his website.

from Photography News https://petapixel.com/2018/08/15/what-it-was-like-to-move-my-photo-business-across-the-country/