Let passion drive your profession: How Sara Irvine bagged her dream opportunity

Do what you love, love what you do. This is a cliché that many tend to abandon when crafting a career path. Yet being uninspired by what you do can be demotivating – and unnecessary. If you’ve tuned into the JE Delve x Adobe mini-series in collaboration with Jamal Edwards MBE, you’ll be familiar with the group of aspiring creators and their foray into the creative industry. From lighting to post-production, the team are honing and developing their skills to create a music video for a mystery artist.

The latest instalment of the mini-series sees Jamal challenge the creators to shoot a live performance for up and coming musician Peter Xan, in the lead up to the big reveal of the artist in the coming weeks. We caught up with one of the inspiring young creators part of the collective, Sara Irvine, age 20. A photographer and video editor from Lewisham, south London, Sara shares her journey into the creative industry and how she has started turning her passion into a profession…

How did you come to be a part of the JE Delve x Adobe team?

One of my friends told me about the programme and it sounded so insane, but I never thought I’d be chosen. It’s refreshing to see brands taking young creators seriously and showing respect for our talent. Jamal and his team have given us support and provided a space I feel confident sharing my ideas. I’m a visual learner and having access to high-end industry experts is helping me push my career forward in ways I would never have been able to do myself.

What have you learnt so far on your journey?

In the first two episodes, we explored themes around perspective using Adobe Lightroom, as well as storytelling using Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro. I never realised just how important perspective is both technically and conceptually in the world of creativity. It’s opened an exciting new world for me now when filming. I’ve even picked up my 360 camera and am learning how to use it properly for digital and cool spherical stills.

How did you apply these learnings to the music video challenge in Episode Three?

Jamal surprised us with this task so we could experience the pressure of working on a live set and delivering a piece to a tight deadline. We used Adobe Photoshop to create initial mood boards and then used Adobe Premiere Pro to create the video, working on colour grading and fluidity. I was able to apply skills I had learnt about editing in Premiere Pro to timeline the video using the shortcuts and tricks learnt in the prior episode.

What inspired your passion for photography?

Growing up, I always loved music. I got my first camera when I was 14 and started out casually using it on outings here and there. This progressed to me getting my first little point and shoot film camera when I was around 18 and taking it along to the gigs I would go to on a regular basis. I’d then squirrel myself away in my bedroom for hours editing these photos and videos using Adobe Creative Cloud and watching tutorials on YouTube to absorb new skills. I made a network of friends in the music industry at these gigs who I shared my work with, and then started getting booked for jobs. This led me to making my photography Instagram account in September 2019 (@sara_shots_) I haven’t looked back since.

Have you had to overcome any obstacles on this career path?

I took music, media studies and photography for A-level because I knew I had the skills and passion for them. Sadly, there was a perception at my school that these subjects were for the less academic and both my teachers and parents were pushing me to go to uni and do something more traditional. When I left school, I told them I was taking a gap year to give myself a bit of space to see if I could make it as a photographer. I knew the creative industry was for me and through hard work and determination, I’ve started to carve a career for myself. You don’t need to go to uni to be successful.

Have you got any advice for other aspiring creators?

Make as many contacts as you can. I didn’t grow up with any connections in the creative industry, but I met loads of people through my love of gigs. I started calling on these contacts and found my way onto music video sets, eventually shooting small artists myself. I’d also say don’t be afraid to follow your passion and do what you really love. Mine is a journey many didn’t believe in, and I’ve worked hard to get to where I am today. If I can do it, you can too.

What you’ll see in Episode Three – The Trail

Watch all the behind-the-scenes action of Sara and the team producing Peter Xan’s live set performance of Dreams here.

If you’ve missed the first episodes or want to check out their creative journey to date, tune in to Episodes 1 and 2 here.