I don’t know if this is totally apparent here on the blog and my social channels, but lately I have felt like I’m on the cusp of expanding my creative potential. Maybe it’s because I now live in a place with fewer distractions. Or perhaps having more space means that I finally have room to create. Or maybe my creative potential feels different now that I am surrounded by so much of nature’s splendor. Whatever the reason, I have been doing a lot of mental work to dig deeper, creatively speaking.
Exploring My Creativity with Photography in the North Cascades
One area that’s begun to mean more and more to me has been photography. I minored in it in college, back when I exclusively shot with b/w film, developed it, and made prints in a darkroom. Yeah, I’m old? But one thing that always spoke to me when it came to shooting images is that it makes my eye see things differently. Or at least in a more discerning, critical, aware way. Textures, layering, the quality of light, tonal shades of snow… all of it suddenly feels fresh and new and exciting to my eyeballs.
During my accidental 4 week hiatus, we still managed to take time away from the renovations to bask in the beauty of our new home. On a whim, I brought my fancy new camera to capture images… and it felt SO FREAKING GOOD to just take pictures for fun. Ordinarily, I take photos for this blog and for social, which I love doing. Don’t get me wrong. I am so incredibly lucky to be able to renovate my home for a living, documenting the process along the way.
That being said, there’s something magical and soul-nourishing about creating for the sake of creating. But how do I balance that with my innate need to essentially over-share?? Does something suddenly lose meaning when I take that creative act and share it in a public forum and say LOOK WHAT I DID FOR FUN? I don’t quite have an opinion on that at the moment — but also not sure I need one. After all, this is my own corner of the internet and I can damn well do what I please with it (within reason).
BTW if you want to see even more of my outdoor adventures, definitely join and follow me on Steller, a storytelling platform dedicated to travel and all that nature has to offer.
This blog has always evolved with me as I’ve grown into different stages of life. Most recently, I dedicated 4+ years to documenting my life living in a small space. But now that we call the North Cascades home, the content I want to share has changed. I will always share renovations and inspiring lifestyle posts, but I also want to start sharing more of how nature inspires me. I hope you’ll continue to join me on this journey and to play witness as to how I continue to evolve as a creative.
