As is likely true with any photographer, when I shoot I’m very conscious of how the light is flowing, the shadows it creates, the reflections that occur. But sometimes, I become fascinated with how things look through the light; I find myself squinting into the sun, blinking back tears, shooting the translucence of leaves and petals, capturing the flare.
It occurs to me that sometimes that’s how life feels when I have a goal or a singular purpose, or when I’m embarking on an adventure. Whenever I’ve wanted something really badly, it has never come to me easily; in fact, I’ve become very superstitious in the belief that if things come to me without any real effort, then ultimately, I’m going to be disappointed. Only the things I’ve had to really struggle for have turned out to be exactly as I’d hoped, to be the adventure I dreamed of.
And so, the images that I capture of the light are often my favorites; they remind me that when I’m working on something, embarking on a new adventure, straining with effort and even blinking back tears, as long as I keep the result in mind, it’ll all be worth it in the end.