Learning to Fly

I sat down, fresh and ready, to write this blog entry--knowing exactly what I'm feeling but not knowing how to channel emotions into words. I stared at the white screen, cursor blinking with no words trailing behind, for minutes at end, and then I realized that there's no one way to put this into words--it's just not that easy. Things don't always come in black and white, and they aren't sketched into stone. Sometimes things get foggy, and the haze is your only solid reliance--which isn't very solid at all. You get torn between the ups and downs, scared and angry when everything goes wrong, unsure and worried when it doesn't. 

At first, I thought I was alone--everyone seemed happy, content in their own perfect lives. But then I started looking around. The truth is, in this rollercoaster of ups and downs we call "life", everyone is rocked back and forth, torn and put back together. I learned that making your dreams come true can sometimes only seem like a wistful thought and the means to fulfill them can be hard and rocky path--endless hard work, and what seems to be no achievement at first. As a photographer, it's been a long and hard journey to get where I stand today. Yes, I will always want and expect more, but I can look back and tell myself I have come a far, far way from when I started photography all that long ago. I can fall asleep with a smile plastered across my face, knowing that I am doing the best I possibly can and I am working hard for what I have and what I want.

 Not everyone has the courage to carve their dreams and spend years chasing it, but those who do know that it is worth in the end.--those sleepless nights and stiff backs, sodden pillow cases and tired eyes are never a waste. I know in the morning I can look into the mirror and tell myself that, even though it may take years for my dream to become more than a wistful thought, I am spending every moment to its fullest and getting one step closer to turning my wishes into reality. I learned that it's okay to admit your weaknesses and step outside your boundaries because in the end, it only makes you stronger. Every time you fall, you must dust off the dirt and keep on going. It's part of what makes you who you are, and it's something you'll be able to look back upon and say, "If I can get through that, then I can get through this". Mistakes and failure, trying and trying again, falling and falling once more--it's all a part of building your dreams and making them come true. It's all a part of learning to fly. 

Vanilla and Honey

Summer as it takes its last breath midst Autumn's colors. They danced and played in the wind, talked with the leaves, and smiled at the sky.

Sun-Kissed Sunday

On a sun-kissed Sunday evening, my girlfriend and I roamed a long the crowded streets of a town filled with live music, pumpkin decorating contests, and chattering families and friends. The air smelled of funnel cake and coffee beans carried by a light wind as we strolled down the boutique and restaurant-lined sidewalks. We wandered in and out of the shops that smelled of incense, enjoyed fruity frozen yogurt, and added to the street buzz with our cameras strung around our necks. Sometimes all it takes to let go is a day with someone special doing something you love, because I know at that moment on that sun-kissed Sunday, I wouldn't have traded that evening with anything else in the world.

And one more photograph because of my new black and white fascination:

Love, From Paris

As the night folded over Paris like a blanket, a whole new world shifted into focus. "The City of Lights" was full of life and love. Although I did not get a chance to photograph Paris as the sky dimmed and the lights that Paris is famous for clicked on, one by one, I will forever more remember the wonderful people and sights I met along the way.

Head in the Clouds

Full with noise and grain, yes, but I love them nonetheless--it gives a film camera feel to it. One of the most exciting things about a plane (besides the movies, of course) is the beautiful view that you get to see right before landing and right after takeoff. While most passengers shut their window and prefer to read, I spend most of the ride with my nose squished against the cool glass, enjoying the wonderful scenery. These are pictures of mountain ranges that appeared below my window, and disappeared as fast as they came. I only got a chance to grab my phone in a hurry and snap these two shots (psst, what looks like white foam at the base of the mountains in the second picture are actually clouds). I will ever more remember this wonderful trip.