The Kaleidoscope

Photography offers us a window through which we can isolate the world and our positions in it. We release the shutter and freeze time, allowing us to appreciate the discreet moments that flow one into another.

When I was a boy my father gave me several glass prisms and demonstrated how they could “break” the white light we see into its rainbow components. Later, my mother gave me a kaleidoscope made of stained glass and mirrors that created a jumble of colorful designs. I loved the colorful creations these devices revealed. Standing back, I could see that what makes the whole are myriad parts, each with its own expression. I am mindful of this as I reorient my photography business toward creativity, even at the expense of profitability.

I’ve been busy making dance photos for clients, but I also am taking my cameras with me wherever I go. Some days I grab street shots. Some days I photograph friends — gratis. And some days I just look around and try to see the world with fresh eyes, leaving my camera on the table. I feel refreshed and look forward to shooting more than I did when I was constantly trying to justify my work within the confines of a business plan. Ultimately, I believe this works better for my business as well. But I have detached myself from the outcome to savor the process.

I now have time to consider the meaning of my work, and my existence here in this time and place. The story remains incomplete. The viewers of my images will fill in the details — or not. I no longer will worry about that.

I am reminded that the meaning of life is living. And no matter how many times we get distracted by the jetsam of daily living, we can always step back, look, and see.