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Originally starting off as a wedding and portrait photographer, my husband, John, thought that his love for people, family, and friends meant that people was what he loved to photograph the most. But along the journey, John realized that memories from his childhood and interests that he developed played a greater part in his photography.

Mountain climbing, biking, camping, and many other outdoor activities he participated in with his family, were parts of John’s life puzzle pieces that God is putting together. We’re slowly recognizing the bigger picture, and still far from figuring it out. In this past year, John became aware of the influence that the vanishing moments of the world around us had on his photography. And this last summer he decided to take a step toward this interest. Through it he found out more about himself as well as the what he wanted in front of his lens. Click here to view his most recent work. He’s not going back.

This new direction not only excited John, but it inspired him.  Change can be scary at first. How is he going to make a career out of it? How will he carry on the business side? We’ve had some feedback on how the landscape photography world is saturated with too many photographers and there’s no way to make it. Isn’t that with anything? Some people even think there’s too many people in the world! But too many photographers in the market to make a living? That should never be the determining factor for anyone, and we made sure it wasn’t for John.

But we’ve all been there, right? How many times have you figured out that there was something loved to do but didn’t enjoy what you were doing with it? A vocalist who sings in theater but really wants to sing in a rock band. An engineer who works for a company but what’s to be head of their own firm. A culinary artist who owns their own business but wants to be world’s next top chef. Or how about an artist who painted portraiture and wants to be an illustrationist. We’re all out there. Some make steps to fulfill their calling. Others don’t. What steps are you taking? What best reasons are there for you not to make that change?

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Road trips.  Done a few of those these past few months.  During our honeymoon we traveled from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Grand Canyon and Sedona Arizona.  Two weeks ago John and I drove out to Missouri to photograph our friend’s wedding.   Aside from being contained in a speeding box of death for several hours on end till the next rest stop, traveling in general has always been my biggest time for inspiration and thought.  I noticed the pattern after the last trip left me with more ideas for my portfolio projects.  This is exciting for me for one reason.  I’m learning how my creative juices start to flow.  Not when I’m  painting.  Not when I’m lying in bed at night.  Not when I’m taking a walk or relaxing by the pool, but when I’m driving (or riding in a car).

Through my ideas, I decided that my focus is going to be my portfolio.  How is that new?  Well, I’m stepping away from the commission side of things and my focus is not going to be on  making money, but making excellent art.   I think when staying within the “rules” of portraiture and “representational art,” I’m pretty good.  But what about making something excellent?  Having a body of work that is completely created from my little brain and hands versus the customer’s wishes and wants is kind of bazaar for me.  It hasn’t been apart of the creative routine as much.  At that point you’re not accountable to clients, but to yourself.

Seems like an exciting trip.  Do I have what it takes to last the journey?