There is an online petition to President Obama to create a Secretary of the Arts – an idea I support whole heartedly. If you feel the same way, please add your signature, and voice. Thanks!
Secretary of the Arts Petition
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General
I love the Holiday Season, and like many of you, spend it with family and friends enjoying good food, good times, and looking forward to a new year in anticipation of what it will bring. Certainly we are in a very tumultuous and difficult period in terms of the economy and political environment, but I am optimistic about the future, and remain motivated to continue working as hard as possible to achieve the many goals I have for myself. I encourage all of you to do the same.
As important as all of the landscape photographs I have made through the years are to me, I would gladly give them all away to keep the images that truly matter most to me, and this one I made of my son Bryce on Christmas Eve is certainly one of them. Seeing him grow and discover the world each day has taught me the value of appreciating each moment without taking any for granted. Watching him read a “letter” from Santa Claus is one I will never forget.
We are so fortunate to to have the technology to capture these moments in so many different ways and with relative ease, that there really isn’t any reason not to take advantage of it to the fullest. Take time to record these moments with your loved ones, and more importantly, learn how to manage all of this media so that is is accesible to you in the future and doesn’t get lost in the digital “shoebox” or worst yet, disappear because you didn’t have a backup! (My online backup recommendation).
Life is difficult at times, and we all struggle to get through each day it seems. Yet it’s the simple things I’m most grateful for that make the biggest difference. Whether the simple questions Bryce has asked me, yet I found so difficult to answer, or the magic of making a photograph that I know I will treasure for a lifetime. Those are the things I’ll remember most about 2008.
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When I first started this blog, I didn’t really have a clear idea of where it would lead or if it would even last as long as it has. All I knew was that I had something I wanted to share with others, and maybe in the process learn something about my own artistic journey. In fact, it has taught me a great deal about what motivates me, why I love my work, and perhaps given others motivation to dream big and follow their passions.
Almost two years later, I think I have a much clearer direction now and decided I would change the name of the blog to something more descriptive. “Beyond the Lens” truly summarizes my approach to landscape photography, in that for me it has always been about the feeling and emotion, the connection to nature, and its ability to transport me to a place within myself where everything is perfect. Standing at the edge of a serene and reflective lake before sunrise; light rays penetrating the cold fog bringing clarity to the beauty always present, like a melody that lifts the spirit. This is what I want to capture with a camera, allowing the experience to push me creatively and positively.
It’s also more than just work, but an outlook on life in general and how everything we do defines who we are. An artist brings the sum of his life’s experiences to and through his work, and a single press of the shutter says as much about his view of the world as does how he wants the world to view him.
For me it remains a belief that I can achieve my dreams, and live a life that allows me to follow my passion. Hard work, perseverance, dedication, and a little luck are the keys, and definitely in that order! Practice and commitment will get your farther down the road to your goals than pure talent ever will. And as I’ve mentioned here before, I also enjoy inspiring and helping others. Regardless of whether you are a photographer or not, it is a real plus for me, and I hope I can accomplish that in some small way.
So while I will talk about cameras, computers, software, and all of the other important items that are an integral and fun part of the photographic craft, it is the intangible aspects that really excite me, those things that lie beyond the technique and technology, that make a great image really special.
When we get right down to it, and get rid of the distractions of modern society, what’s left are the memories and moments that really mean something. Isn’t that what life is really all about?
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