Against the Wind... Finding Freedom in Letting Go

Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then...

Against the windA little something against the windI found myself seeking shelter against the wind

 ~ Bob Seger, Against the Wind

There's a frustration among seasoned photographers.  We stumble into it often.  It's a feeling of being stationary, no matter how much we're trying to move forward.  When you're a beginner, there is just so much to learn.  With each press of the camera's shutter, we are able to create something that teaches us and propels us forward in our journey.  But as we press the shutter more and more, we tend to learn less and less.  We become paralyzed by rules, crippled by expectations, powerless to the fear of rejection.  The photographs we once loved to create now feel repetitive and meaningless.  We're so busy trying to create the perfect photograph that our photographs simply lose the perfection of being ours.

Over the years, I have dealt with these feelings in many ways.  I've put my camera down for a bit and pursed other creative hobbies.  I've pushed through, holding on to a glimmer of hope in the future of my photographs but remaining frustrated by the work I am currently creating.  I've poured myself into a workshop, a photography book, or a project that I've left unfinished.  But, finally, I've come to a place in my photography journey where I've discovered the only way that I can cope with this feeling.  I've simply let it go.  I no longer set expectations of myself or my photographs.  I don't force myself into a project because I know I won't complete it.  I don't listen to the voices of doubt and the whispers of rejection because I know that I am not defined by what others think.  I simply find something beautiful, create a photograph of it, and hold it dear to my heart.  I create the rules for my photographs, I determine the correct exposure, the most pleasing composition, and the final vision in processing.  This approach has given me a sense of contentment with my work that was lacking during all those years filled with doubts and frustrations.  There is a freedom in letting go of those rules, expectations, and fears.  It brings back the beginner's mindset, the openness, eagerness, and freedom from preconceptions when creating photographs.  By allowing myself to adopt this mentality, I have found more opportunities, creativity, energy, and enjoyment in photography.