My core photography goal

awe – an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful.

I remember as a child I was awed by simple things–the seemly huge woolly worm crawling upon a leaf, that perfect combination of path, sheltering trees, rolling ground and rambling creek forming what must be a magical place for magical creatures, or that perfect moment of a day or night when laying upon the ground I looked up to the clouds or stars in the sky and imagined myself among them.

Growing older my ability to be awed has been harden by years of life experience, perceived “reality” and hectic pace. The core of awe requires being in the moment, seeing with uncensored eyes and taking time to appreciate.

I’m trying to reconnect with some of that childlike ability.   

So, the goal of my photography is to capture awe. To create photos which generate feelings of reverence, admiration, or even uncertainty (fear), even if only for me, through representing the grand, sublime or extremely powerful.

That doesn’t mean every photo must be shocking or powerfully dramatic, but I’d like for them to convey a tangible sense or feeling of the subject, whatever that may be. This “emotional quantity” will be something considered in my photographic workflow.

There’s no single way to do this and that’s the beauty of the process.

Do you have a core goal for your photography?