This is my Jan/Feb President’s Message published in “The Photographer” magazine.

“What would you do if you could not fail?”

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2025! What a wonderful year it will be! Have you considered what you want to accomplish this year? I know we all get so busy in the last few months of the year that January seems to be the best time to relax and sleep. Of course, rest up while you have some down time so you can be ready to go come spring. But, while you are resting and rejuvenating your body and mind, it is time to look forward and set some goals.

“What would you do if you could not fail?” I heard this in a class several years ago, and it resonated with me. I wrote it down in my notebook. I repeated it to myself over the next few months when I considered my next steps. I even bought a paperweight with the words engraved on it to sit on my desk as a daily reminder. And I knew what I wanted to do.

Some of you know me, but many of you may not. I photographed weddings and portraits for more than a dozen years (and still do, occasionally). Families were nice, newborns were challenging, and weddings were my favorite. The beauty of the ceremony, the romance of the vows, the love between the bride and groom … and my reward for a job well done was always a slice of cake! It was great, but exhausting.

However, my passion has always been photographing places. My husband and I travel a lot, and my favorite thing to photograph has always been the places we visit. I have also always had a strong love for animals. It was only natural that all these things would come together, and I started photographing more landscapes and wildlife. During a class about fine art imagery, I had an epiphany. What if my work was shown in art galleries? What if I had my own gallery to display my work? And then doubt creeped in … what if I am not good enough?

I repeated my new mantra again. “What would you do if you could not fail?” And I jumped in to my newest photography adventure: Wanderlust Fine Artistry. I created a new brand, built a new website, decided what specific product I wanted to create for collectors, and the kinds of images I would sell. During the pandemic, I started sending my work to art galleries all over the world to be considered for their exhibitions. The response was very positive, and the work I am creating has never felt more rewarding.

I wanted to share this story to encourage you to have no fear this year. Maybe this quote can be your new mantra. Or maybe there is another quote that inspires you. Whatever is motivating you, I challenge you to listen to it and start acting on it. Think outside the box. Consider doing something you have always dreamed of doing. It is okay if it is scary, different, and challenging. It is okay if you fail. Failure is part of growth; you learn something from the journey, and you get back up to try again.

Take the Challenge: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone.

I cannot wait to see what you accomplish! Share with me at Shawna.Hinkel@gmail.com.

Shawna Hinkel, M.Photog., CPP
TPPA President

“Madam President” has a nice ring to it! 😊 I am honored and privileged to serve as President of Texas Professional Photographers Association in 2025. Bill Hedrick, editor of “The Photographer” magazine wrote a wonderful feature article to introduce me to the membership, and I am humbled by his kind words.

Read the article

See the Jan/Feb issue