Missing days like this..

Images from Myrtle Beach. It’s been lined with high rises for as long as I can remember, but looking at it through a new lens (literally testing out a new lens) emphasizes just how little of the natural landscape is left. At least palmetto trees still cross the horizon.

I’ve been able to edit some great and challenging projects since I’ve been home. Demanding deadlines, late nights, creative freedom and trust from clients - never a dull moment and always pushing my limits. The challenges are where growth happens.

Humidity, summer light, lush greens and a feline predator - the jungle vibes in NC are strong.

Feeling very reflective lately about my outdoors life, my footprint on the planet, and how I can do more to encourage sustainable living. I had ACL reconstructive surgery on July 1 and have had to adjust to a new way of life for a while. I keep thinking that as much as COVID taught me to slow down, this has been a whole new level of moving slowly and with purpose.
This surf photo was taken on a rainy evening in New Hampshire. NH isn’t the first place that comes to mind for epic swell, but I think the lesser known places are often the sweetest for exploring and gaining new perspective.

Reality post-COVID-lockdown feels so surreal. Everyone’s re-entry is different, some more dramatic than others. For me, going back to the office, a client dinner and a mostly mask-less afternoon with friends in town felt like both huge milestones and small steps. A time warp where nothing changed, and yet everything is different. The same reality from before COVID, but pockmarked with COVID policies and memories. Maybe this is what all generations feel like after a giant world upset like other pandemics or wars. Feels like we’ve earned the right to slow down and enjoy life a lot more than before COVID, and also hopefully learn to treat each other and the earth with a lot more care and respect.

I drove to Rhode Island, slept in my car and woke up at 5am to explore this spot. My knee is still healing from a skiing injury and I can’t do my normal sports, so adventuring to take photos of other people doing theirs felt like the next best option. Over the last few weeks I’ve done quite a few photo missions, lately all surfing related. Solo photography missions have always been part of my life. It’s a creative hobby I do just for me. I think it’s easy to get discouraged because the world is saturated with great photographers, but I’ve been remembering lately that photography is really fulfilling when I’m doing it and improving just for me. It’s important to have creative outlets we haven’t monetized, especially if our day jobs are creative too. Photography is one of mine.