When I first picked up a camera back in high school (a long time ago LOL), I thought photography was all about learning the equipment. If I could just figure out the buttons, buy the right lens, and learn a few tricks, I’d be taking magazine-worthy photographs in no time. Looking back, I laugh at that version of myself because I had no idea what photography would eventually become in my life.
At the time, I was simply trying to take better pictures. I wasn’t thinking about the fact that photography would carry me through some of the most wonderful moments of my life and some of the hardest ones too. I certainly wasn’t thinking that one day I’d be traveling the country full-time in an RV with my husband, chasing sunrises and sunsets while always keeping a camera close by. Or that I would actually be making a living out of photography.
Over the years, photography became much more than a hobby. It became part of who I am. I’ve photographed the mist rolling through Cades Cove before dawn, stood on quiet beaches waiting for the first hint of color to appear in the sky, and spent countless mornings watching the world wake up through the viewfinder of a camera in some pretty obscure places. Some of my favorite memories aren’t even the photographs themselves. They’re the moments before the photograph, when everything is still, quiet, and full of possibility. You haven’t lived until you’ve stood on top of a freezing cold mountain and listened to absolutely NOTHING while watching the sun poke up behind the faraway hills.
Of course, not every photograph was a masterpiece. Far from it. For every image I’m proud of, there are hundreds that never should have seen the light of day. I’ve driven hours to a location only to discover the weather had other plans. I’ve come home convinced I captured something incredible, only to load the images onto my computer and wonder if I was looking at the same scene. If you’ve ever done that, welcome to photography. We all have.
The truth is that photography has taught me far more than camera settings. It has taught me patience, because nature doesn’t care about my schedule. It has taught me persistence, because sometimes the best light lasts for only a few seconds. Most of all, it has taught me to pay attention. In a world where everyone seems to be rushing to the next thing, photography forces me to slow down and really see what’s in front of me. This is peace – the most important thing that photography has taught me.
A few years ago, life reminded me just how precious that ability to slow down really is. I became critically ill with sepsis and eventually underwent open-heart surgery. Today I have a pig valve in my heart and a deep appreciation for ordinary days that I didn’t always have before. Something in you shifts when your doctor says to you, “You shouldn’t even be here anymore”. Recovery wasn’t easy, and there were moments when life looked very different than I had planned. During that time, photography became one of the things that helped me find my footing again. Carrying a camera gave me a reason to get outside, to notice beauty, and to focus on something other than doctors, medications, and hospital visits. I even had my husband bring me my camera so I could take photos of the flowers all around the outside entrance to the hospital. It was awesome therapy while I waited for the scariest moment of my life – the day of my open-heart surgery.
Maybe that’s why photography means so much to me now. It’s not about having the perfect camera or creating the perfect image. It’s about preserving moments that matter. It’s about remembering where we’ve been, who we’ve loved, and the incredible places we’ve been fortunate enough to see. It’s about standing on a mountain overlook, watching the sun rise over the Smokies, and feeling grateful that I’m there to see it.
These days I’ve even started photographing birds. I never saw that coming. Somewhere along the line I’ve apparently become one of those old ladies who gets excited when a new bird lands nearby. I used to laugh at bird photographers. Now I’m one of them. Life has a sense of humor that way.
When people ask me why I still love photography after all these years, the answer is simple. Photography helps me stay curious. It reminds me to pay attention. It encourages me to see beauty in places I might otherwise overlook. Most importantly, it helps me remember that every day, every person, every place, and every moment is worth noticing. And worth being grateful for.
And after everything life has thrown my way, I don’t think that’s a bad lesson at all.
If you would like to see more of my photographs, visit my gallery website at www.carolcapturesart.com.
If you would like to learn some Camera Basics from a REAL working photographer, purchase my Camera Settings Explained e-book HERE on Etsy.
