"I have been picking it up whenever I can, photographing everything from a highly-annoying woodpecker who took up residence in our backyard, to candids at my daughter’s swim meets"

In 2001, I started a small marketing and public relations consultancy. My work life revolves around crafting creative messages and communicating them to carefully curated audiences. I'm hired to help companies, brands, people, and causes stand out in a crowded marketplace and 24/7 news cycle. My career is perhaps best summed up by a campaign slogan that I wrote for an estate planning law firm: “Words Matter. Every. Single. One.”

Woman's March 2020 in Washington DC. Photography by Vanessa van der Have.

Having my own business has served me well. I am fortunate to have a solid book of loyal clients, the flexibility to make my kids’ games, and the luxury of working from home. However, this type of work comes at a price. Sitting in front of a computer for hours upon hours every day is mentally and physically taxing. Google “desk jobs and life expectancy” when you have a minute. (Or don’t, because the results are terrifying!) It occurred to me recently that my job, despite its perks, was taking a toll on my wellbeing. I began exploring ways to channel my creative energy and desire to communicate in ways that, simply put, won’t increase my risk of heart attack or stroke.

"Street photography provides all of the creative and communicative rewards that writing does, with the added bonus of exercise. It is very easy to log 10,000, even 20,000, steps while getting lost in the daily happenings of any city."

Enter photography.

I purchased a DSLR camera several years back and took some very precious photos of my kids with it. However, I didn’t have the time to learn how to use it and wound up returning it soon after. I continued taking photos - pretty good ones if I do say so myself - but with a subpar camera. The desire to upgrade persisted, and a couple of years ago, I hinted to my family that I would love a new camera for the holidays. At the recommendation of my neighbor Anne, a nature photography enthusiast, they bought me a solid introductory camera - the Cannon EOS Rebel SL2. Since that time, I have been picking it up whenever I can, photographing everything from a highly-annoying woodpecker who took up residence in our backyard, to candids at my daughter’s swim meets, and the sun coming up over the bay in Lewes, Delaware.

 Belize City Pier. Photography by Vanessa van der Have.

As I began honing in on the types of photos that sparked joy in my heart (shout out to Mari Kondo), I found that it was pictures I’d taken while meandering around city streets that excited me the most. I’ve captured the intersection of cobblestone and railway in Dublin, sand-blasted bicycles in Belize, green-eyed cats in Istanbul, breathtaking murals in Chicago, and every fruit and vegetable known to man in a Barcelona market. I've come home with everything from tired street vendors and newlyweds sneaking kisses to babies on the shoulders of protesting parents and dogs living their best lives in my camera. The best photography experiences, for me, take place outside, during the day, and involve no specific agenda. Inspiration comes at a moment’s notice, depending on the people, objects, cities, and events around at the time. Sometimes the results are light-hearted, sometimes they’re serious, but they’re always honest.

Man and His Dog On the Streets of Barcelona. Photography by Vanessa van der Have

Street photography provides all of the creative and communicative rewards that writing does, with the added bonus of exercise. It is very easy to log 10,000, even 20,000, steps while getting lost in the daily happenings of any city. Of course, the grind of being a working professional photographer can be hard on the body too. I got a taste of the physicality of photography at the Women’s March on Washington this January. I found myself in the middle of the road with a group of other photographers as the front line of the march procession headed towards us. There was steam blowing out of holes in the street, which was creating this amazing Braveheart-esque scene. The march’s theme, Women Rising, came to mind as it looked as though the protesters were rising up from the billowy vapor. I wanted to capture it so badly. My thighs shook as I struggled to maintain a squatted position, hoping for (but never getting) the shot I wanted. As the marchers and police leading them got closer, I learned that sometimes you have to forgo your creative itch in the interest of personal safety. Alas, I got many other good photos that day...just not the one I wanted.

 Chicago Mural. Photography by Vanessa van der Have.

As a novice, I don’t have any revolutionary tips or technical advice to leave with you. All I can say is that street photography makes me happy. There’s something uniquely liberating about letting your surroundings be the Creative Director. For now, I’ve got to stick to my day job, but I’m thrilled to have found a new, healthier platform of creativity and self-expression. After all, we only get one "shot" at this thing called life...