The hardest part of starting something new is knowing where to begin. We doubt ourselves, reach into the part of our minds that tells us we will fail or do something wrong, and as a result we never begin. When we step outside of what is ordinary and look for a guide book we stunt our growth. We seek direction in a place where roads have not yet been paved. The myth is that someone else would know where to…
I talked to a friend the other day about success, and she said that she has been frustrated by how she has always defined success. Her definition was someone who was entrepreneurial, or someone who has clear focus and determination to start something big. I spoke to another friend about success just before that and she said that she feels unsuccessful because she doesn’t have enough money to move out of her parent’s house yet. And even before that, a…
I’ve had a rather crazy schedule this fall season, mostly because of travel and a few deadlines that were wearing on me. Starting in September I traveled to Utah, Nebraska, Washington, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and New York. I wouldn’t trade a single one of those moments for anything. Each taught me something about myself and about the world. Travel can be difficult, especially alone, but goodness it can be so illuminating. Even with all the middle seats, layovers and delays, I…
Can you believe that the end of October is nearing?! Time flies as always, yet somehow, so often, it seems to move in slow motion. I have been trying to take more deep breaths and appreciate everything around me. Part of that process is going back through the images I’ve created this last year and figuring out which have been most fulfilling for me. I looked at things like visual appeal, meaning, and overall satisfaction with each image that I…
A couple weeks ago I decided that I would face a photographic fear and head into the forest with some lights. I tested them before I left, making sure I understood the basics (how to turn them on) and brought some extras with me, like a sheet, to diffuse the light. When I got to the forest with my friend we began setting lights up, and when it came time to trigger them, nothing happened. For 2 hours. And I…