I’ve always been a restless planner/go-getter and uncertainty is something I’ve always struggled within myself. It’s extremely uncomfortable, not knowing what will happen, but I try to find things to be grateful for every day. In times of struggle, there are always moments of beauty and things to be grateful for and I have to keep reminding myself that. This shelter-in-place order and being isolated indoors has taken a toll on me. I know there is so much I can’t control, but I wish there was something more I could do than to sit here and wait.
Ousel Falls, Bozeman, MT
Many like myself are lost and confused, and we are all grieving, growing and healing. The seasons are changing and instead of being outside, I wait in the solitude of my empty apartment for something beautiful to come out of all this. I reflect on what’s most important to me right now, and it’s the act of creating and exploring a specific message or a feeling from capturing a single moment in time. Through outdoor photography and experiences, I’ve learned that embracing the uncomfortable is a process, and being okay with uncertainty is really what it’s all about.
I think now more than ever, the world needs nature and adventure photographers. We need artists to help us see the beauty in the natural world, the lessons it holds, and to inspire hope and show the strength we all have inside of us. We channel and translate the emotions we have and show the wonder and awe that’s out there. We question the purpose of it all, what our relationship is with the earth, and how do we give back. Right now, I believe the way to give back to the earth is by staying home and prioritizing the health of our communities instead.
Nature photography is more than just a pretty sunset in a vast landscape, it’s the moment everything comes to a halt and holding on to that feeling as long as possible because that moment will never come back. It’s a different way of thinking and seeing that can transform our world for the better. It’s finding stillness in the chaos of the world and seeing the perfection, and peace in everything that has led up to the present moment. It’s a meditative practice, and to be able to find strength and resilience the mayhem is something we can all use a little more of right now.