New Beginnings

Week 45

New Beginnings

November 13, 2010

A guest at the wedding I shot last weekend commented to me "you'll never get the chance to witness a wedding like this again".  She was probably right. You see, the bride and groom were 78 and 80 years old respectively. Each of their spouses had passed away in recent years, and these two were moving to another stage in life with one another. They wanted to live out the remainder of their lives together.

Now don't get the wrong impression. This was no frumpy duo resigned to some second-choice partnership. This bride and groom were as happy and giddy as any couple I've had the privelege to photograph. There was no less excitement, no fewer signs of their obvious and deep, youthful love for each other than if they were 22 and starting off on their first journey together.

An incredible thing to witness and document, I was happy to be a part of it. It got me thinking about how we all have opportunities to make new beginnings. Joyful times, tragedies and change will inevitably come our way. These things shape us, influence our lives and fill our memories. They make us who we are. They don't however, have to determine who we become. We have the opportunity in this life to take advantage of each day as a new day. We are afforded a brand new opportunity to make decisions based on who and what we value. Our paths in the past don't determine our paths for the future. A new beginning can be tomorrow. Or today. Or right now. It's up to you.

image taken with Canon 5D MII, 24-70 2.8L lens, 1/40 sec @ f2.8, ISO 400

Seasons

Week 44

 

Seasons

November 6, 2010

I've seen a lot of beautiful autumn color, growing up in Virginia and spending the better part of a decade in the Shenandoah Valley.  I've always looked forward to the change in seasons portended by vibrant colors on display as chlorophyll dissipates and the trees prepare to rest for the winter. I found the scene above in Palo Alto, along Alma Street over the El Camino Trail returning from a shoot. I was struck by the seeming crust of color on the still green foliage as we transition through Fall here in California.

It reminds me of our own transitions as we move through life. Sometimes these changes bring welcome seasons full of color and plenty. Other times what we encounter is harsh and barren. What we have to remember, whether we want to be in the season we are in or not, is that another season is coming. Inevitably, we begin to see the signs of seasonal change, be it the start or end of a relationship, a new job or career path, the birth or death of someone close to you, these leaves of life begin to change color.

We can't go back to previous seasons, and we can't skip ahead. We are in the season we are in... until we aren't. So it seems to me, since we seldom if ever are able to usher in a new season entirely on your own, what we are faced with is more a question of what you are going to do with the season you are in. Are you going to hunker down and dispair until the "winter" season passes, or get out with your snowshoes and skis and make snowmen? Will you allow yourself to be distracted and forget the important things in your "summer" under the illusion you will always be able to go swimming, enjoy long days of sunshine and warmth? Will you make ready for the next season when you see it coming or live in denial of what's to come and be caught unprepared?

My hope for you is that you are finding joy in the season you're in, no matter what it feels like. That you remember it won't last forever, for better or worse, and that you don't live in fear of the season to come or of losing the season you're in.


image taken with Canon 5D MII, 24-105 4L lens, 1/60sec @ f22, ISO 400