I believe from the moment I was in my mothers womb I was destined for greatness. From the moment I exit and entered into the world, I was pre destined into a life I may have never expected, but definitely had to prepare for. I discovered my special interest at the age of 5 From the moment my sister flashed the flash of her Fugi camera, I realized my love for the camera. The more it flashed the more I posed, and that is when I realized I loved something more than Barbie Dolls.
I loved to pose so much. I remember getting dressed up in my fancy little dresses and getting the camera to pose like I was a superstar. Throughout the years I still loved the camera but by the time I was 12, I no longer felt like a model princess. I was a tomboy and self conscious with my body, so posing in front of a camera was the last thing I was going to do. But I had still a love for pictures, it was my favorite hobby.
By the time I was 15, my life had changed, and had become more challenging. I would be home a lot alone, so one day, I picked up my camera with no deep intentions, and started taking pictures of myself. I was going through so much at the time. I had turned to one thing that I loved the most, to release my stress and that was the camera. I had free film to waste and I thought to myself why not. So I picked up the camera set it on timer, and started posing away. I didn't think much of it at the time. I had no idea how my lil photography session was going to come out, but I developed them and to my least expectation they came out great.
I showed them to some friends and posted them online and received a great response. No one had actually believed that I was my own photographer. I loved it so much. It really made me feel better when ever I was stressed. I started doing it one a week than led to every month till it lasted for years.
I had fallen in love with my talent. It was like most average people who had career goals. When I was 7 I said I wanted to be a doctor, by 10 a teacher, 15 a journalist and by 21 I realized true success comes from something that you truly love.
I always loved school, but I never saw me doing what my degree consisted of. I had a passion for something that mellowed my pain, that kept me off the streets, that gave me something to live for and I was going to do whatever it takes to get it.
When I first introduced the idea to my mother she laughed in my face, like I told a comedy joke, she thought I was delirious. My whole family thought it was a phase that I would outgrow, but I never did. I told them that I didn't care what people thought because this is what I loved and what I wanted to do.
I basically let my career grow underneath my skin, it wasn't just a thought or dream anymore, it became who Iam. It was the pores, the concealer, the foundation of my image. It was who I am and and proud to be.
I knew there were battles I were going to face, I knew that obstacles were going to come my way, I knew the sacrifices that were attached, I knew the chance I had to take and I took it all and inhaled it and said to myself let the games begin.
People ask me Karisma what if you don't make it, will there be something else you'll fall back on and honestly I think to myself even if there was something for me to fall back on I wouldn't do it, if I don't make it than that's it. If I have to die trying than I will.
I am very focused and one track minded when it comes to my career. Its what wakes me up every morning, its what keeps me alive. I know its going to take a lot of hard work, maybe more than I can imagine and I am willing to do it all. There is no giving up in my game. If I ever feel myself sliding I have God's strength to keep me in direction.
If I have to fly all over the world to find that agency that will establish me than I will. I am my own photographer, Ive made every picture you've seen, I designed my own portfolio. I ve done it all. I recently moved to Ny on my own for my career, and it doesn't just begin here or ends here. I will rest at nothing to make my dreams come true. I will keep trying and die with pride or succeed. Ya'll get ready for me cause here I come....!
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