It can be easy for me to get stuck in a routine - get the camera gear ready, shoot a wedding, hope I got everything the clients needed, then spend hours at the computer editing the photos. Please don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my job - I love the variety of people I get to meet, I love the emotions I get to capture - to freeze a moment forever. I love how beautiful the world is. Nature, people, buildings, light, all of it. And I have an amazing career of showing people how I see the world. Showing how beautiful the world is. But still, photography is a business to me. I'm working for clients, and even though I love it, it's still work. Hard work. So I am generally less inclined to pick up the camera unless I'm getting a paycheck.
A recent debate in my life is whether photography is art. For me, the answer has been no. I feel like I capture what is already there when I take photos, whereas music or other artistic pursuits in my life are creating something internally and finding a medium to communicate it externally. However, I received quite a compliment this week. And this helped me rethink my approach. There was a comment on one of my photos that said: "...You have such an amazing eye. I'm one of those people who's always sort of thought that photography wasn't really 'art' but seeing some of the truly astonishing photos you've posted, has changed my mind. You really have a gift for framing scenes in a way that shows others the beauty in the world, which we might not see on our own." Wow... That one comment gave so much purpose to what I do. It's beautiful.
Then I have a day like today. Today, I saw the beauty of the seasons changing from Fall to Winter. And I couldn't help myself... I pulled over on the side of the highway, put my camera on the car, and started taking photos. It was inspiring to breathe the fresh, crisp air, to photograph a scene I knew (the famous Park City barn) in a new light.
It was simply beautiful.
And this is what I want the world to see. There were dozens and dozens of cars that drove past me while I was taking these photos. None of them stopped to see what I saw, and that's ok. They were on their way to whatever night life was going on, or maybe headed home after a long work day. I don't know that any of the drivers were even aware that there were mountains with a beautiful field and snow covered barn... it was quite dark. But I wanted to yell "The world is a beautiful place! Open your eyes!"
The 30 second version of the rest of my night - I met a pleasant crowd of people at a karaoke bar on Main St, sang several songs, then walked through the beautiful night in an area of Park City I had never been. Inspired by beauty. The people, the nature, the air, the energy, the little stream, the way the leaves sat on the pathway, the way the light hit that wall... I believe with all my heart that there is beauty everywhere we look. If we are willing to look for it.
And now, goodnight!! Sweet dreams to all.