What the camera means to me

The camera what does it do for me?


The camera takes away everything and gives me everything I need all at the same time. With a camera in my hand it is only me my tools and whatever I am capturing everything else fades away. All the stress and worries of the world all the fear of success and the worry of paying the bills, The physical pains I have and the emotional demons I am battling all simply slip away.


In place of these things comes a smile and and sense of peace and comfort a happiness that I can only find when I have camera in hand. It is a special time for me. As long as I am shooting it does not matter what I am capturing the subject is irrelevant. It is the simple act of creating camera in hand that brings me great joy even if not a thing I photographed on any given outing turns out I am happy it is less about the finished art and more about the fact that I am creating. But when the image comes out that is a special moment all of it’s own.


In conversation with our pastor we were discussing jobs and work. I had this realization that for many or even most people the job they do is that just a job. They may or may not enjoy it they may even love what they do but for few people is a job a part of them. What I mean is that being a photographer and artist is more than just a job it is part of me a part of who I am almost like it is part of my DNA. that simple fact makes my hardest days the ones when I can not shoot and I can not create. Not creating when I want and need to simply makes my soul hurt.


Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.

Ralph Waldo Emerson