We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Rawson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, why did you pursue a creative career?
I originally planned on being a social worker when I graduated high school. I was persuing that career and in my last semester of college when I switched majors to nursing. I became an Emergency Department nurse for over ten years. I then went into nursing administration for over 3 years. Currently, I juggle photography with being a PACU nurse.

In my off time, I make it a priority to regularly escape into nature.
It is in nature where I feel alive, creative, passionate, connected and at peace. I want to bring that feeling, passion and peace to others. I enjoy serving others and love sharing my creativity. Photography is my true passion and what I want to spend my life doing professionally.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love sharing beauty I see in the world. I have always had a passion for photography and nature. My goal is to connect with humanity and nature in my photography career.

My son is grown now and I have more time to cultivate my passion. I share photography with my nursing career at the moment. I love having some extra time to play with photography and get creative during a typical week. I love the “work hard, play harder” line of thinking.

I’ve learned to trust my authenticity and the universe. I’ve learned to believe in myself and to turn obstacles into lessons that nurture strength. I believe that serving others, being humble and kind changes the world for the better.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The first attraction we would plan to visit would be the Grand Canyon. It is a place that words fail to describe, it needs to be felt. We would need to hit up the Petrified Forest, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Lake Havasu and Horseshoe Bend in our travels.

Cruising around Sedona and Scottsdale would also be on the list. My mom’s favorite team is the Giants, spring training would also be on that list for Scottsdale! When in Scottsdale, have to eat at the tortilla factory, it’s so good!!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family is amazing!! My parents, sister and son have always been supportive and encourage me to follow my heart. I have some close friends that have encouraged me to put myself out there and start a photography business. It can be intimidating to start over in a totally different career but I’m ready for the challenge!

I love listening to podcasts, music and audio books while hiking off to escape in photography. Jay Shetty is my favorite podcast these days. I love being curious and channeling energy into a healthy, creative way. I like all sorts of books and music.

I have to mention Rick Rigsby. I needed some inspiration in my life and literally typed in, “inspirational videos” on Google chrome. This video, “Lessons from a Third Grade Dropout” helped change my life. Mr Rigsby’s wise, caring, passionate words echo throughout my head every day. “You keep standing” and “How ya livin?” are my favorite two quotes from the speech. I have those words tattooed on my right arm to remind me to be kind and dig into life.

Instagram: a_raw_lens

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