I have recently been in a “reflective mood,” I guess because I have had far too many friends and family diagnosed with cancer lately, including my 2 year old grandson, plus I lost a dear friend recently.  The gift of life is so fragile and it seems like I am continually reminded how we should not take this precious gift for granted.

At the moment, I am sitting in a Starbucks, working on a few things, while watching the steady stream of customers coming through.  Then, one of my former photography students came in the door. We made eye contact, a warm smile on her face, she came over to me and we talked for a while.

After she left, I started thinking about all the wonderful people I have met through my photography and the countless workshops I have taught over the years.   Our common interest was photography, but each with different interests and talents, not to mention different life experiences and worldviews.  It has been such a privilege and blessing to have our lives connect through photography.

Especially over the past year, I have come to realize something about me.  I thought I loved photography. While that is true, I don’t think that really describes “me” all that well.  When I think about my experiences in teaching classes, maybe THAT is what I love, “teaching photography.”   But then, why do I love that?   Maybe I am on a journey to discover who I am.

I guess what I am realizing is what I really love is people.  Photography is just a way I connect with people, whether I am photographing them or teaching them.

So that’s it, I love people.  I guess that’s why I find such a connection to the Christian faith since, at its core, it is about love.  Unfortunately people get that all messed up and totally wrong, being distracted in so many ways, and that’s a bit heartbreaking.

Anyway, what I find most important in life is faith, hope, love, forgiveness, and our relationships with others.  Somewhere further down the list is photography.  🙂

I am not saying I have all the answers in life.  I am fairly confident we will never understand the full wonder of this thing we call “life” on this fragile blue orb miraculously hurtling through the universe while I sit on its surface, sipping on my cup of coffee in relative comfort.

This human experience, this world, this universe is pretty hard to fully comprehend. (I have enough difficulty understanding me.)  I don’t think ANY of us will really figure this all out, not fully.   The question then becomes, then how shall we live our lives in the midst of us just partially understanding it all. For me, it comes back to love.  I hope to love others, and do a better job at it.

I guess that means I need to love jerks also.  That’s where I have trouble.  I am not very good at loving jerks.   Oh well, I guess they need love too.  Otherwise, I could end up being one too.  Maybe I’ll give them a dog. Dogs are better than me at loving.

I really did not intend to write all this today.  I was working.  At least I thought I was. But then that former student came in the door, and then I started writing, and this is what came out.

So this is a photography blog.  I guess I’d better tie this back to photography somehow.

Your photography is telling the story of your life.  What you see and photograph is totally shaped by how you see the world around you.

Regardless of whether you have a fancy DSLR or mirrorless camera, or you just use your iPhone to take pictures, you are a photographer.

Take pictures to tell the story of your life.  Take pictures of all the things in your life you are grateful for. Take pictures of the people you love. Take pictures to honor the beauty of this world.

Most importantly, dare to be YOU.  Those of you who know me, know how important I think this is.

Get in touch with who you are, and let your photography be an expression of YOU, not simply copying some other photographer’s style because that’ll get you more “likes” on Facebook.

If you need technical help, I can help you with that. If you need help discerning how you might take your photography in a new direction and explore more creativity, take my Rekindle workshop.  Maybe I’ll see you in one of my classes.  Maybe one day we’ll be hiking on a trail in Colorado together in one of my Rocky Mountain workshops.

If you ever just want to get together and talk over a cup of coffee, I’m ready. (And you don’t have to buy my coffee.)

If you would ever like to join our wonderful little group that meets intermittently on Monday nights at my studio called LifeInsights, we’d love to have you. Our next book discussion starts in October.  (It’s free to attend.)

To all of you I have met over the years, as I reflect on our memories of time together, adventures experienced, I have to say I love you all.  I may not love “perfectly”, but I love you none-the-less.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

Kevin

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Kevin's book "30 Practical Tips for Better Photographs" is available in print and on Kindle devices!