I close my eyes…only for a moment and the moment’s gone.

Hours and hours of scouring books and magazines and the internet.
Time flying by as I click over and over and over again on Pinterest.
Looking for something that my heart knows, my mind knows…but my eyes can’t see.
I’ll know it when I see it.  I know I will.

Looking at images and ideas of others,
I glean inspiration and spin the idea my own way.
Imitation really meant to flatter, not steal intellectual property.
(Although it hasn’t always happened this publicly, we have always copied one another.)

But it seems that lately instead of feeling inspired, I feel trapped.
I see other ideas and think mine aren’t good enough.
I see other ideas and wonder how could I possibly make that better?
I see other ideas and think only about how to make it work for me.

So I step away.
Quit looking at the beautiful art,
the lovely snapshots,
the simple and clean designs.

Instead I close my eyes.

I imagine the way the light will float down through the trees.
And how it will land gently on his back.
And how the backlight will make you glow.

And then snap.
I take my picture, your picture.
And though it may look like a million other pictures on the surface,
it is special.  it is unique.  it is you.

And you will look at it for years to come (i hope)
And the warmth of the sun will feel heavy on your skin.
And the smell of fresh grass will come to your mind.
And the heavy, comforting weight of new love will flood over you.

And that is what I want my photographs to be.
A moment immortalized, ready and waiting to be visited and cherished.
From this moment on.