Some people separate their passion and work, and some are lucky to have both.

A perfect example is Ira Asuncion, a student and part time freelance photographer in Pangasinan who uses photography as he means of going school.

She was interested in photography and so she joined a photography group and photography became a hobby.

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck she decided to monetize her hobby by taking in gigs for photoshoots.

Ira gets paid for looking at other people through the lens of her camera and making art out of their images.

That same year, just when she turned her life around to follow her passion and make it her work, she was placed in a life altering situation – she was pregnant.

She also gave birth to a baby boy last year, which changed her life plans that now includes her son.

After having her baby boy, she had to stop for a while her photography gigs to care for her baby son. She has then accepted him as a blessing and understood her priorities in her new chapter of life.

But she set did not set aside photography for long because she eventually returned to taking pictures.

Now with double determination in every job she is given, she is aware that she is working hard, not just for herself anymore.

Aside from her goal to have her own photography studio, she added, “mostly ang mga pangarap is for Luke na rin” (most of my dreams now are for Luke).

This year, Ira will be graduating from college. She now has a college degree with the help of the money she earned from her photoshoots.

For Ira, her life is like taking pictures. She may not know the result of every click, but she is willing to take the risk and capture the best shots of her life.

Liezel Bulahao