The Great American Eclipse  certainly is attracting attention in the United States.

According to Time Magazine the eclipse “will either wreak havoc on your life or herald waves of positive change. That is, depending on who you are, which astrologer you ask — and, of course, whether you believe in astrology in the first place.” Personally, I’m going with the waves of positive change as I enter into the next chapter. I received my Master in Environmental Management (MEM) in May 2017 from Western State Colorado University and I have been riding the waves of summer. I’ve enjoyed the last couple months with family and friends, traveling and exploring during the exquisite Colorado summer. It’s been a great time  to recalibrate and reconnection. Now it’s time to put everything I’ve learned while obtaining two environmental degrees to work. Boots on the ground!

Someone recently asked me what is my dream? Yesterday while I was standing in the forest next to a flowing creek and setting up my camera equipment, I was focused on everything I had read about how to take pictures of the eclipse. There was an excitement brewing inside because I had never taken photos of an eclipse before. Apertures, f-stops, lenses… I wanted to try to capture the best possible images I could. Photos I could share and be proud of. But this was a last minute endeavor and admittedly I was not prepared.  However, there were certain words from the B & H Photo article I had read that kept effortlessly going through my head like the flowing creek I was standing next to: LOOK at the eclipse. Enjoy it with your own (protected) eyes. As amazing as it would be to get a great photograph, I promise you that you will have a lifetime of regrets if you miss the whole show because you are hyper-focused on photographing the event. Besides, I’ve been told it looks much more amazing to the eyes than it does to the camera. So I stepped back. Put my special glasses on and watched. What I found truly amazing was the knowing that there were millions of people watching this. So many people sharing in these few fleeting moments. My own family on the east coast, friends in Washington state, and my son who was just about 30 miles from where I was. I felt a connection to everyone watching whether I knew them or not. Everyone would have a story to share about their individual or collective experience around viewing the eclipse, including the trials and tribulations of traveling near or far distances to see it. And that’s when it hit me…again…loud and clear. It’s the stories I want to hear. The stories and experiences that keep my fire stoked. It’s these stories and experiences I want to share through photography, written words, interviews and videos. That is my dream and where I want to invest my time and creativity, and the work I dream of doing.

I have a lot to learn before my next eclipse photo opportunity, but more than having the best photos to post, I have clarity about which direction I am headed and how I want to be connected to the people and places on this amazing blue and green spinning rock!

Lets make it happen!