We’re off to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks for vacation Wednesday and I’m very much looking forward to the new photographic opportunities that await me during our trip. It’s great how a change of environment can often renew my enthusiasm for image making. Just the simple act of visiting a new place can bring back that child-like excitement I experienced when I first saw the world through a lens. The problem, however, is that opportunities for exploration and travel come but a few times a year.
The real key then, is to find a way to sustain that creative enthusiasm even when I don’t have a chance to get away. I must find a way to see the things I see everyday through fresh eyes; to maintain my love of photography even when I feel like there’s nothing interesting to photograph. For me, the secret is to continuously re-visit old places; places that I may have photographed dozens of times. While these visits may sometimes turn out fruitless, the mere act of getting outside with my camera is usually enough to keep me moving forward in my search for creative vision.