It Got Published!

YAY!! I did it! One of my photos got published in this month's Digital Camera Magazine (DCM)! It got me totally off-guard! I never expected that it will get published after submitting it through email a couple of months back. September, I think. I mean, I was absolutely bummed when I saw October's issue, when I happily flipped it to the Hotshots section where reader's photographers gets published as soon as I saw the magazine on the shelf of MPH, even before paying for it. I gave up hope of ever seeing it published entirely when I saw November's issue and probably because of that I had my so called "photographer's block". But who would ever thought that it'll finally get published in the last issue of the year!

I was out yesterday, at town, supposedly having another photoshoot with Grace but since dad and Edmund decided to tag along at the last minute, we end up spending time at the mall, considering how Christmas-sy it has already gotten over the past few weeks. It's nice to even loiter around and peeking in through the glass windows, wasting time, when the malls are playing all-time favorite Christmas carols. Not to mention the shops, which were also decked with boughs of holly and playing carols around the clock! I picked up my copy of DCM as usual, without even the mere thought of my shot getting published.

I wasn't even bothered to open it until I was in the car, on the way to pick mom up from work for a quick bite, when Grace wanted to read the magazine out of boredom. I removed the plastic and Edmund took the magazine from me, creating a colorful wave as he flipped over the pages, admiring the pictures. I snatched the magazine from his hand, afraid that he might cause bended edges (I hate dog ears on my books!) and just turned the pages dully. I've always been a fan of Hotshots, even though when my photo doesn't get published, it's still nice to see the work of some local photographers (especially if the photographer was from Penang!). So when I got a glimpse of my own face in the pages and the unmistakable favorite shot of mine of a red daisy, I went berserk in the car!

I practically screamed my head off in the car when I turned back the pages and stopped at page 76! Edmund was just screaming because I was screaming while Grace was screaming with me after I showed her the page when I passed the magazine to mom in the co-driver's seat. I was hugging Grace, letting it all out and was still screaming at the top pf my lungs, hardly able to believe that it was actually happening. I usually get my copy of DCM at the beginning of every month and I'm considering that I've got this month's pretty late. Then things just appear to be a blur after that. My heart was beating its way out of my chest and my throat was aching when I finally got settled down and took another good look at the page! It was really a moment for me cause the entire family was there when I got to know and that happens to be the best thing I could ask for, sharing the joy!

I couldn't help but realize that this was entirely my personal effort and I should be proud of it - which I totally am! Maybe no one pays much attention to the Hotshots section but I really don't mind. Dad asked me, "So, are you going to get paid?" before mom shot a frown at him and I explained it wasn't about payment or anything - just the pure fact of sharing my work with the rest of the world (who cares) is really more than enough for me. Hey, I'm not making any of this up. It happens to be how I think. If people appreciate it, then I have to be really grateful. And no, this is not about my excitement over my face appearing on a glossy page of a magazine. The self shot was a requirement with any submissions anyway and I'd rather not have any pictures of my appear. I'd prefer being the man behind the picture!

Still, it's entirely up to you to say that this is just a small matter and I'm just exaggerating things. The fact is, this IS a big deal for me and I'm really really glad that it got published. After all, how many times can a photography enthusiast get his work published in a prestigious photography magazine, right? The shot was one of my personal favorites from the many shots I get from my evening trips down my neighbors yards and lawns. I guess all that mosquito bites paid off now. I'm definitely not blowing my own trumpet here (or at least I don't intend to). This is just one of the few achievements in my life so far that I needed a record of it! You know, an encouragement of some sort. Anyway, I got another extra copy of DCM - one for safekeeping purposes while the other is for display purposes only. Oh, let me be proud for a while!

I'm taking this as my early Christmas present from Santa God - He couldn't have surprised me more!

A short reality check : I'm still writing at really crazy hours. Christmas is approaching fast and a lot of preparations are being carried out. I have barely got the time to even mess around with Photoshop anymore. Christmas parties are popping out from the ground like daisies and caroling with the church choir is starting this Sunday at Rasa Sayang Hotel. I'm spending most of my days out from home, running errands with dad or Grace or spending quality time with the family that it's hard for me to sit and write at all, or even edit photos for that matter.