I absolutely love spending time outside. I am always in awe of our Earth and all of the good things that it provides us. God is the ultimate artist and it kind of blows my mind how things work together in perfect harmony to create the ecosystems that we enjoy. 
I feel really fortunate to live in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia because it has so much beauty. We're surrounded by salt water marshes and wetlands, beautiful beaches (both oceanfront and bayfront), stunning coastlines, and a short drive away we have mountains. 
I put together a photographic Earth appreciation post for you to enjoy! 
Some of these are taken locally, in Hampton Roads, but some are from of our other travels and will be noted. 

If you'd like for me to come along on your next adventure outdoors, click the Contact tab above or just click here. I'd love to talk with you about documenting your time spent together, outside. 

I was making my usual morning cup of Earl Grey in my favorite mug a few weeks ago and I heard the familiar notification sound that my phone makes when I get an email. I open up my account and my eyes are slow to adjust, but I think it says that one of my images was selected for exhibition. 
I see words like "congratulations" and phrases like "the competition was tough" and "the standard was high".  
I blink. Re-read it again. 
And then again.
I see a link at the bottom to view the exhibit and I scroll down and I see a very familiar picture...a photograph I made. 
And it hits me then that my work was included among so many talented photographers that I deeply admire and look up to. And an environmental portrait that I made was included among theirs. 
I am so filled with gratitude and honestly, I am humbled. 
To the amazing jurors, thank you so much for seeing the magic that I see in this photograph and for believing in my work. 

To see the whole exhibit, please click here. It's so inspiring! 

Finding inspiration in the everyday, ordinary moments is one of my favorite things to do. It is a challenge, for sure, but I welcome the challenge. It's something I am always and forever working on.
​I have worked hard to train my eyes and my brain to seek out these things- to study the light, to think about composition, to think about colors. 

There are others whose work I admire, who I feel are so much better at this than me. But I also know this: comparison is the thief of joy.
You will never know joy if you are comparing your progress and your work to others. Your path is your path. Your creative journey is yours alone. 
 

Here are a few of the ways I continue to find inspiration in the everyday:

• l look for repeating patterns, colors, and shapes. These are foundational in photography and I'm still always amazed at how I find them naturally in the world around me. It's a fun exercise to do even when I don't have my camera on me. It helps train my eyes and brain to see these things almost subconsciously. 
• I look for beautiful light. Photography is essentially the study of light. I am always looking at the way that light falls on things and the directionality of it. I feel like there is always something more to learn about light. Beautiful light will always be an inspiration for me. 
• I look for things that make me laugh. I love to laugh (who doesn't?!) and I like to think I have a sense of humor. I am always looking for the humor in things, even in my sessions. Kids never disappoint- they are hilarious! And they do strange things! My images aren't always obviously humorous, sometimes it's more subtle. Sometimes it's a juxtaposition. The point is that you find the thing that brings you joy, that makes life interesting. Photograph that. 
• I shift my perspective to one of gratitude. I am going to link a blog post I did here announcing that I had an image chosen for the inaugural exhibition of the Documentary Family Awards "Transforming Perspectives". I think this blog goes more in depth than I will here about the subject, but man, the act of shifting your perspective is so powerful. I've been trying so hard to live my life with more gratitude. I've found that when I intentionally focus on that, life just gets better. Love is the foundation for most things in our life. And honestly, that's just beautiful. Be appreciative. Be present. You'll find inspiration there.  

These are just a few of the ways I am striving to better myself and my art. When I am in a creative rut, it helps to do things that are different. Something that allows you to stretch your creative muscles. Sometimes when you do something out of the ordinary, it sparks that one thing that was missing, or obstructing, your creative flow.

Give some of these a try, ponder on them a bit, then come back here and tell me what you think or what you did. Reach out to me on Facebook or Instagram! I'd love to hear about and see what you are working on!