I tend to think of the act of photographing, generally speaking, as an adventure. My favorite thing is to go where I’ve never been.
— Diane Arbus
We all want to be happy. Many of us want to lead adventurous lives. All of us at some point have said things like, “If only I had….” or “Someday when I have more time, money, etc.” or “I’ll be happy when …” And why is it that so many of us feel like happiness, excitement and adventure are out of reach, fleeting or maybe even impossible to obtain? Maybe it has to do with the way we define these things.
What if there were to be a shift in our perceptions and the way we choose to define happiness for ourselves, not measuring it against other lofty standards? And what if the key to finding it existed within ourselves as opposed to somewhere out there?
One of the blessings photography has brought into my life is that it has shifted my perceptions of happiness, adventure and what it means to live life to the fullest. I have learned that having a happy life is not so much about having big moments and traveling the world, although some more travel would be nice, but more about appreciating the smaller, everyday moments in between.
When we photograph daily life and go on photo adventures in our own backyards and towns, we begin to see our lives differently: We see more beauty that we wish to capture through our lens, we notice details that before went unnoticed, and we feel our own beauty bubble up inside when we see something that moves us. We start to feel more gratitude for what we have, we feel more connected to and more present in our lives, and we wind up attracting even more beauty, adventure and celebration into our lives! So what are you waiting for? Pick up that camera and go!
“When composing a photo I’m always looking for interesting details and lines. I love the muted tones and seemingly chaotic order of these old printing stamps.” —Susannah Conway
“I’m in love with light and I’ve found that shooting water is a fun and fascinating way to study light. Working with a shallow depth of field brings even more magic to light and liquid.” — Tracey Clark