A while back I wrote about how I needed to get back in touch with my “manual side”. I started to shoot some experiences in manual, but everything had to be just so. You know what I’m saying?
Anyway. I’m slowly letting go of the neurotic “but-i-have-to-get-every-shot!” syndrome and “but-it-might-be-blurry” anxiety — and have been shooting in manual mode almost exclusively now.
I’ve realized that even though “but-it-might-be-blurry” anxiety is totally a real thing (it’s not), there is a level of focus required when shooting in manual. Necessary moments of pause, and consequently moments of appreciation.
Life is so beautiful. And in an age when photos are by the thousands, captured just because of their ease, they tend to lose their focus and the raw beautiful nature of being in the moment.
Take for instance these photos I snapped two weekends ago. Wyatt and I hung out with Nick as he continued working on putting up the fence for our dogs (I helped, but only a little). He’s finished the front section of posts and four board split rail fencing that faces the road (photos later!) and has now moved around to the back of the house where we will have welded wire and t-posts — hopefully able to continue with putting in more posts and boards next summer (so expensive).
It was such an enjoyable late morning/early afternoon. I felt such peace from simply slowing down and documenting such a seemingly dull and back breaking event. I found, much to my surprise, that there was not only beauty in the experience but great joy.
If only we took more time to pause and revel in the beauty of our own lives — instead of others’.