I Want To Photograph...

"So, what kind of photography do you like?" 

"What do you mean?" I say. 

"Well, what do you want to photograph?"

This is a conversation I have had more times than I can count. 

Someone always manages to ask me what I want to photograph 

and every time, 

without fail,

I freeze. 

Its such a simple question 

but to be honest, 

I don't know the answer.  

I don't know what I want to photograph. 

Even though I have always known that I wanted to be a photographer

I never knew what it exactly was that I wanted to document. 

There are so many options 

and roads I could take. 

Fashion, 

Conceptual, 

Fine Art, 

Glamour, 

Wedding, 

Portrait, 

Lifestyle, 

Travel, 

Landscape, 

Photojournalism, 

the list is endless. 

Some of those things make me shutter 

and silver with distaste

On the other hand, some don't sound so bad.....

but not good enough to devote myself too.  

Maybe I have cold feet. 

Maybe I'm just lazy. 

Maybe I'm indecisive. 

Personally though, 

I don't want to try to cram myself into a box. 

I don't want to be forced into limitations. 

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about who 

or what 

I want to photograph. 

I did some searching of my heart 

and of my photography desires, 

what my dreams were 

and my goals. 

Even though I may not know everything there is to know about the photography world 

(or the world in general), 

or what genre I am 

or want to be, 

this is what I do know. 

I believe photographs should be more than just photographs. 

I believe they should be art. 

I believe they should capture more then just who you are 

but reveal your soul. 

I want to capture your attention with my images. 

(If I have not, I have failed miserably at my job). 

I want to photograph people as they are- 

not after they have lost 20 pounds, 

but right now! 

Right at this particular moment of their lives. 

I recently decided that 

while it would incredible to photograph celebrities

All the "A" List actors 

All the Singer at the Top of the charts. 

 Its not my main goal. 

I would love to photograph all those people

and make bucket loads of money in the process. 

But if that never happens, 

I'll be o.k. with that. 

I'm not settling for mediocrity. 

I just want to make breathtaking pieces of art. 

I want to photograph people

normal,

everyday, people. 

I want to photograph... 

All those who have looked in the mirror 

and not felt good about themselves. 

 All of them. 

Because everyone is on a different journey. 

Everyone is different

and because of this

everyone is beautiful. 

I just want to photograph people 

and show them the beauty I see them.

I don't always make my friends dress up like eskimos, but when I do its 115 degrees outside. 

*Insert Narcissism*

I love self portraits. 

There I said it! 

I love them! 

Call me narcissistic, if you want 

but 

I think there is something to be said about the ability to document yourself 

and everything that comes with that. 

I love being able to document myself, 

my emotions, 

my changes, 

and more importantly, 

my journey. 

Everyone has a story. 

Everyone should tell their story. 

Most people choose to use their words, 

but I like to use photographs, 

my art,

my images,

to tell my story.

Here are some recent self portraits,

Take a look at them.   

I'm not going to say anything about them,

because I think they should speak for themselves.

Enjoy! :) 

"The time will come 

when, with elation 

you will greet yourself arriving 

at your own door, in your own mirror 

and each will smile at the other's welcome, 

and say, sit here. Eat. 

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart 

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you 

all your life, whom you ignored 

for another, who knows you by heart. 

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf, 

the photographs, the desperate notes, 

peel your own image from the mirror. 

Sit. Feast on your life."

~Love After Love, Derek Walcott