The Defining Moments of our Life
I went for a walk tonight in an attempt to clear my head, camera in hand, hoping to find some peace and a bit of creative inspiration. It is so often the case that when we try the hardest to find things or to 'see' things they just don't appear as easily as we would like. Tonight would be no different.
I opted to walk my way through a local graveyard which not only happens to be a place I find incredibly peaceful but also one that I always find visually stimulating. With that said, I often struggle to find a way to capture the the thoughts and emotions that I feel when passing through these sacred grounds. Finding peace in these places is never an issue, but capturing it on film is quite a different story.
Strolling through the overgrown grass with the setting sun beating golden rays of soft light down on the tombstones, my senses were overwhelmed with beauty and of sadness. In my minds eye I could see images to capture, but as is so often the case, these images are special because they are a combination of what the eye is seeing and what the body is feeling. It is the crux of why capturing an emotional image is such a challenge.
I took numerous pictures, some close and some far away, trying to work the light and the shapes into what I hoped would be a meaningful image. An image that would convey to others the emotions that I was feeling at this moment in time. The perfect image -- one with the power to transport the viewer to the place where it was taken and convey to the viewer the feelings and emotions of the photographer. I often think this is the holy grail of photography and something that the Masters were always so good at achieving.
After 30 minutes or so of wandering, sitting, photographing and thinking, I knew that I had not captured that image, I knew that nothing I had taken was worthy of showing. Sure there were some good images, but not that one, not the image that I had come looking for. As I worked my way back through the cemetery one last time, I tried, as funny as this may sound, to become one with this place of peace and of death. I knew the image existed, I could feel it. Then, as if a gift from Gods it appeared right in front of me. I knew instantly that this was what I was looking for, this was the image that I wanted.
The words say it all and they remind me of why it is so important for us to live our lives to the fullest. The words remind me of why I do what I do and why I have no problem hopping up on my soap box and telling people that there is a better way to live their lives. Life is short and life is very precious. We must all wake each day and celebrate our existence on this amazing planet and choose to do NOW that which makes us happy and that which brings us personal fulfillment. Putting off our happiness for a future day is a path that is frot with danger.
Find Peace and spread Love; Smile more often and Love until it hurts.
The defining moments of our life