FINDING

The above image I took while in Paris on honeymoon, in fact I believe it was when we were catching a train to leave Montmartre. When I first fell in love with my husband Nicholas he left to go spend a piece of his summer in Europe {his family is German} and when he returned he had these really fabulous and uber inspiring photos of a subway station and the trains and the people waiting and all the movement and the lights. He simply shot what was there; he documented what was happening, and he did it really well.

I was recently given some advice to not over-think things; applicable advice both in life and to my photography. I was encouraged to review how much I 'direct' both in subject matter and in my own head and internal process. I am greatly trying to challenge myself as a photographer and it is a hard thing when you want to capture a certain type of look or a certain moment and you're attempting to create or encourage the required natural feelings and emotions and the end result is just not at all 'resulting' in anything that you imagined or wanted. What is the problem? Well I am seeking and not finding; trying not letting.

I am learning that I need to get back to the purpose of why I love taking photos in the first place, capturing what is there and capturing it really beautifully. Just like what Nicholas did in his photos. Okay, well perhaps they weren't beautiful, but they were lively and interesting and told the story of what was happening. I am yearning to develop a more appropriate balance of 'directing' when necessary and too in a more developed manner ie: not directing a shot to look like something that I want to be quote un-quote "swoon-worthy" no, just letting the shot capture what the subject and the situation is creating. Nothing more and nothing less. Finding what is right there in front of me and capturing just that.

Therefore, I do believe I've found just the right new mantra. Although I have been telling myself similar encouragements that have been aiding in my internal processes and too in my last few photo adventures and 'jobs', Picasso really has summed up the perfect phrase that I am sure to silently be saying quite often, "I do not seek, I find."