January 16, 2012
Broadening My Horizons
I’ve always had an interest in design and a new opportunity at work has given me some extra motivation to spend more time pursuing this interest. I haven’t quite decided if I’ll add any design related categories to Chasing Creativity, but this new pursuit will likely reduce the time I have to focus on writing and photography. I’m afraid the posts here will continue to be infrequent and will likely consists of more images and fewer words, but I do plan on posting as often as I can. I hope everyone’s new year is off to a fantastic start and I’ll keep you all posted on my latest new journey.
Before I go, I wanted to share one more image from my trip to Hawaii in December; this was taken at the end of the Waimea Canyon that overlooks the Na Pali Coast. Truly one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen; and one that images just don’t do justice.
December 31, 2011
New Beginnings
A new year brings the opportunity for new beginnings; many of us make resolutions to do things that we didn’t or couldn’t do the year before. Whether it be working out more or making more images, it is important not only to embrace what is possible during the coming year but also to allow ourselves to start fresh. By starting fresh, I mean forgetting about the failures or shortcomings of years past. While it is important to remember the things that those failures and shortcomings taught us, it is just as important to leave those things in the past.
To truly reap the rewards of new beginnings, we must learn to let go of the things and feelings that tie us to the past. We must learn to iterate and to carry only the best part of ourselves forward. Iteration in my working world is all about taking what works and improving upon what doesn’t. It is very much the same when it comes to finding our creative-selves. The only way we can make better images is to learn from the images that work and improve upon the ones that don’t. I know this may all seem simple enough, but it is sometimes harder than we think to let go of those images that simply don’t work; to let them move into our archives so we can move forward with our best and most promising work.
It has certainly been a year of new beginnings for me; professionally, personally, and creatively. I am looking forward to the things that await me in 2012 and I hope you all are too. Happy New Year!
December 5, 2011
Fresh Eyes
We’re off to Hawaii for vacation tomorrow and I’m very much looking forward to the many new photographic opportunities that await me during our trip. It’s great how a change of environment can often renew our enthusiasm for image making. Just the simple act of visiting a new place can bring back that child-like excitement we experienced when we first saw the world through a lens. The problem for most of us, however, is that opportunities for exploration and travel come but a few times a year.
The real key then, is to find a way to sustain that creative enthusiasm even when we don’t have a chance to get away. We must find a way to see the things we see everyday through fresh eyes; to maintain our love of photography even when we feel like there’s nothing interesting to photograph. For me, the secret is to continuously re-visit old places; places that I may have photographed dozens of times. While these visits may sometimes turn out fruitless and end up being nothing more than lens therapy, the mere act of getting outside with my camera is usually enough to keep me moving forward in my search for creative vision.
November 23, 2011
Lens Therapy
With the year winding down and the holidays fast approaching, we decided to head down to the beach for me to enjoy some lens therapy. I haven’t had much time this month for photography or posting to the blog so it was great to get out to see the world through a lens. I’m always amazed how quickly all my stress seems to ease simply by focusing on the act of making pictures. I’ve realized at times like these, that it’s more important to get out with my camera than it is to come home with great images. I guess sometimes it’s more about the act of making pictures than the pictures themselves, at least for me. Well, that’s all for now. I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving.
