The Start.

I considered a few days ago the notion that out of all of the images I record, only some make it to the surface. Of those, an inner dialogue takes place. And, if an emotion is evoked, I then believe a true photo has been created.

So much else can take place in the process of a creative. Often, it can be a great playground for a bit of “monkey brain”. My diagnosis of the art of overthinking, tunnel vision aimed in unproductive directions, an inner dialogue where doubt may lurk.

It wasn’t until this morning that I gained some clarity amongst the inner committee meeting in my head. This photo, “The Start”, was my very first shot of a very early morning. Conditions weren’t ideal, reality didn’t align with “my plan”, and why was I even out? Rather than focus on what I didnt have, I embraced what I did have. So, I started to shoot, where I captured this image.

Eventually, the sky cracked open, some light came through, and I was able to get a series of other shots, many of which I gained high expectation for.

Then, I returned home. I uploaded the SD card. And to my surprise, it wasn’t the ones I had anticipated seeing. It was the first shot. It was the start.

In a literal and figurative sense, the message I received at that moment was that this blog/ featured photo/ behind the scenes, whatever you wish to call it, project I’ve considered since creating this space, would never go anywhere until I began.

We can wrangle all the thoughts in our head all we want, and plan until we are blue in the face. But, at the end of the day, it’s the work. Which often we won’t start until we feel we are ready. Ironically, most everything I’ve learned in life, I learned, grew, and experienced in the process. I became ready by doing.

I wouldn’t have captured this image, “The Start”, if I didn’t take the camera out of the bag. Thankfully, I began the process.

Thanks for reading.

R