What's in a Name?

When I decided to take my photography seriously, I had to come up with a name for myself.  'Schultz Photography' was boring. 'Kelly E Schultz Photography' and 'Photography by Kelly E Schultz' were too long.  I didn't want anything cute like 'Photos by Kelly' or 'Kelly Shoots' so I was stumped. Until I remembered a song and a children's book.

As a child, like many other little girls, I dreamed of being a ballerina.  I had the pink tights, the black leotards and the very uncomfortable pointe shoes, and dreamed of dancing the pas de deux with Baryshnikov in The Nutcracker.  Back then, ballerinas weren't 'cool' and in my small town there weren't too many role models. Imagine my delight when a wonderful book called Maggie Adams, Dancer appeared in the library.

This book thrilled me because not only was it about a ballerina who had the same dreams I did, but she also had the same last name as me!  The story is about hard work, dedication and determination that Maggie needed to fulfill her dream to become a professional dancer.  In the end, as she exits a theatre after a stellar performance, and finds a group of younger dancers surrounding her asking for her autograph.  She recognizes herself at that age and proudly signs 'Maggie Adams, Dancer'.

Well, my dreams of dancing with Baryshnikov didn't work out, probably because when I'm on pointe I'm over 6'2" tall and Baryshnikov retired!  But the story of Maggie Adams stayed with me, especially her autograph.

But what about the song?  Music has always played an important role in my life and I have a large catalog of songs that have profound meaning to me.  One such song is from an unlikely source: a transvestite from another planet.

When I was in college I had my first introduction to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  The movie was a staple during my years at the 'Berg but one song always had a little more meaning to me.  It was towards the end of the movie when Dr Frank-N-Furter is in the middle of the pool singing 'Don't Dream It - Be It'.

So what has Maggie Adams and Dr Frank-N-Furter taught me?  That you become what you say you are.  I didn't want to be an amateur photographer, or a hobby-photographer but a PHOTOGRAPHER.  And I didn't want to just dream about taking photographs and being a photographer, I had to BE a photographer. How I present myself to the world is how the world sees me.  I'm many things, to be sure, but first and foremost, I am Kelly E Schultz, photographer.