Angel Of The S...
A Limited Editions...
By StarKatz Photography
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Visions From A...
A journey
By StarKatz Photography
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Well my very first Blog begins here..
I formally worked with Trading Post Weekly as a BDM for those that don't know what a BDM is it is a Business Development Manager, my main task was to advise clients on the best advertising for their business, since July 2008 I've been redundant from my position and am now currently a stay at home mother of 3 beautiful girls, Taylor 18, Naomi 14 and my 20mth old Tammy.
I not only have a passion for sales but also photography and I have always loved artsy stuff,
another bit of background history sees me at the tender age of 16 landing a job with the infamous Hanna Barbara Studio's then located in St Leonards Sydney Australia. Having had no formal training or course on animation, I was very fortunate to have been found by Mr Hanna himself, by way of a drawing competition my mother entered my work into for those that may or may not remember, 'The Flintstones On Parade', I won front row tickets for my drawing and what a night it was! Brilliant.
Then unbeknown to me, Mr Hanna wrote my mother asking her to send in some of my work. It was as a result of this, he asked that when I am old enough to leave school could she have me contact Jack Patrishka (sorry if I spelt the name wrong) and get me in there. Well she did, and I began work as a In-betweener (In-betweener is a person who is assistant to the animator's, they give motion to the character) I had a wonderful time and met many a wonderful person there. Some of the people who freelanced there were Johnathon Coleman, Shane Porteous who acted in 'A Country Practice'playing a Doctors role. Just to name a few.
During that time I worked on cartoons such as Pink Panther and Son, A ring tail caper, Dragons Blood, Bunjee Adventure and some others that names escape me now. :0)
When Hanna Barbara were moving to Taiwan I was offered the opportunity of a lifetime to go, however, being young and still living with my mother and step father I decided to remain put.
I often wonder what may have resulted going down that path, because believe you me I was on fantastic money! And as I was required to meet a target of 50ft of film, it wasn't unusual to go over target meaning more mula! A 16 year old earning over a thousand a week! it's unheard of these days.. but that is what I was on, it was mind blowing!
Anyway, as you can see I loved art as far back as I can recall..
Through the years after I worked in several roles, Telex Operator, Receptionist, Computer Operator etc.. then I worked for a local newspaper 'The Advertiser' I had so much enthusiasm it was ridiculous, I wanted experience! With them I had the opportunity of Telephone Sales and then I wanted to learn more! How about Face to Face sales? I suggested.. Well, still on the same miserable wage I was given the chance and had a ball. Then I wanted to try editorial, my biggest memory of doing some editorial was when Phil Collins and Genesis were in Sydney, I had the opportunity of meeting him backstage and writing about their tour down under. The management were wrapped in my article and later gave me other opportunities to interview and edit for people, it was lots of fun, however the fun didn't last. I fell pregnant and since I had no one to watch bubs I became a stay at home mother.. They telegram me asking me to come back but I just couldn't, my place was with my baby..
Later I married and had my 2nd child, now here's the turn of events if ever there were any LOL I discovered I could read, not read as in books but read as in the psychic sense..
I had my own studio 'Sommers-Esh Psychic Studio' and did voluntary work for another newspaper where my column was published weekly, many people came to see me and many just wrote, the cards and thank you's were incredible. Then came radio 2KY and WOW.FM.
By then I had around 3 columns running. And again, met some wonderful people.
The day I gave readings away was when I saw a tragedy that happened too close to home.. one of my children ended up in hospital with burns to the face from a hot water tank exploding. At first when I saw this I thought it was a cousin being rushed to hospital, and just warned them to be careful, little did I know that it would be one of my own. Since then I only do readings for myself, not all too often admittedly now.
I did a lot of voluntary work for my children's school, and also the Leukemia Foundation, which I enjoyed, though it wasn't easy with 2 children. Otherwise I was just happy being a stay at home mother...
In 2002 I found my natural father, it was an incredible experience for me, and him..
All my life I'd wanted to know him, know what he looked like, know how he sounded, know his likes/dislikes etc.. and just simply wanted to know my roots to put it bluntly.. so amazing was our reunion the papers wanted to do a article on it you can read about it here: http://www.lincolntimesnews.com/archives.asp?Story=14362&Sect=56&Y=2007&M=10&D=22
Eager to get off my butt and see my Dad, I knew I needed a job and fast, I rang a radio station demanding someone give me a job, LOL at the time of the call they were discussing Terrorists.. hardly an employment topic, but anyway I'd by this time had enough of being out of work by this and was tired of the day to day boring around the house sort of stuff, LOL, like cleaning etc.. day in day out.. I had to see him!
Fortunately for me, the Trading Post Weekly management heard my plea and offered me a chance for an interview in the Call Center for placing ads, given I'd stated my last official employment was with the Advertiser. During the interview I was given a spelling test and asked several questions such as, where do I want to see myself in 5 years, LOL my reply was 'earning a motza!' Well I got the job and then the call from the radio station came through asking how I went, they put me on and I blurted out 'Yay! I got it!' They gave me some training then it was straight on the phones, I loved it so much I ended up having staff sit with me noting how I sold.
I was top Photo Seller, to get someone to advertise with a photo was difficult for some people, but naturally I explained to the customer what benefits photo's had of course, since that is the first thing people will look at.. 'It's like Candy to the eye'.. :) still eager to see my father, I knew I had to get full time work, as I was currently on part time and there was no pay for holidays if you didn't work you didn't get paid, simple as that.. then
My passion grew and I was eager to be at the top so much I bought a car to show them I was fair dinkum about getting out there on the road with sales.. well the affirmation paid off, within 4 years I was promoted 4 times, worked as a Inbound Operator, Outbound Operator, National Sales Adviser then into the BDM role.. during the time I was just about to go into the National Sales Adviser role I had a call at work from my husband to say my mother had just passed away, I screamed and dropped the phone.. I couldn't believe it! She wasn't ill though sadly, when I found my biological father she and I drifted apart, she was upset I'd found him, more so the fact I had a step father and she didn't want him knowing about my father, it was just a mess. And once my mother had a grudge there was no shaking her out of it. We had fallen out with one another and till this day it angers me to think of how short life really is and how vicious holding a grudge can be, it's really not worth it is it? Now she is gone and there is no going back.
Because of the shock I stopped having periods, and naturally the doctors thought the sudden death of my mother had triggered menopause.. 7 mths and not a sign of anything, then I got the BDM role.. The BDM role was the full time work I'd needed.. I was given a company car, mobile and laptop.. I had a ball! One day I felt a little out of sorts, giddy and light headed.. oh oh.. I did a pregnancy test and there it was.. 2 lines.. I was pregnant! I was worried about losing my job I'd worked so hard for, but the management were great.. and accommodated me later with a desk job during the last couple of months of my pregnancy, my tummy was too large to fit behind a steering wheel and to have continued on the road at that rate was bad HR.. so at the same wage I just created leads for my other team members. Then I was on 1 year maternity leave, still wanting to see my father it seemed it would never happen.. it was just one thing after another...
Then just as I had the passports in motion, the money in my hand I had the call I never wanted to get.. 'Your father passed away'.. I broke down.. I was so close to seeing him, I just had a few days for the passports to come for myself, my 14 year old and my baby and I would have been there at his side, it wasn't to be... Though I take comfort in the fact I got to know him, if only by way of emails and phone calls, he was an amazing man in more ways than one.. The following morning I was just waking up, still with my eyes closed I heard his voice beside my bed 'I want to give you a hug' I replied with a smile 'I want to hug you too Dad'. Since then I've not heard him.. But I know that both my mother and father are around.
later my grandmother in the states sent me a letter, inside was a copy of a letter and a photograph of a baby, the letter was from my mother to my father and the baby, me. In the letter she wrote of how she was going to give me up for adoption but upon seeing me she couldn't, and those words I had longed to hear from my mother, she loved me with all her heart. The letter was so spiritually healing to me, it gave me closure in a way I can't explain. You see, my mother was never the one to be a lovey dove.. she would never say I love you only reply if you said "I love you Mum" with 'me too'.
When due to return to work, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to or not, now that my father and mother were gone I just lost all enthusiasm.. then I had a phone call to say they were making 400 of us redundant.. As it turned out I would have lost my job anyway, that was July 2008.. then this month the whole call center I initially worked in were made redundant.. So you see things happen in life we can't understand, the main thing is don't question life just go with the flow..
Anyway, I've really grown to enjoy photography and my focus is on creativity shots, unique portraiture, capturing those moments that can be a topic of discussion for years to come. I'm easy going and don't consider myself in anyway a snobbish type, being a people person makes this role even more easier to fit in.
I've since then completed many sittings with clients and a lot have referred me to their friends and family, that's perhaps the best advertising one can have, but having a background in advertising has taught me you cannot solely rely upon referrals you need to advertise too.
I find I'm beginning to get more creative as you can see with my work above and below..
you can see more at my website: http://www.starkatzphotography.com.au don't forget to sign my Guest Book to let me know what you think of my website. Please do not use any of my images without prior permission, and should anyone see my work posted on someone else's site please let me know to prevent piracy of my images. Thank you :)
Creative & Location Shots
Maternity & Paternal shots
Newborn Portraiture taken at the hospital
Glamour Face Portraits
I have a Zazzle site I'd love for you to check out
And also one at Redbubble where you can find it here
So now you know all about me I hope you will know that I am a passionate person, I give my best in whatever I do, and I only present my best work for sale..
So why not stop by and say hi, or grab something original :)
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