If you were going to take only one photograph today what would it be? Would you get up early and catch the sunrise over the mountains? Would you photograph your latte that you picked up from the corner coffee shop that you so religiously visit that you have been granted sainthood? Would you wander the streets looking for something cool to happen in the frame? Would you finally photograph that bird you see outside the window? Would you find a model and photograph that portrait that you have always wanted to make? Would you do a long exposure of the cars on the freeway? Would you photograph your dog? Your cat? Your BFF? Would you travel to an exotic location and photograph some cool place you have never seen? Would you find a quiet beach and photograph the waves? If you were to only make one photograph today would it matter?
Would you even know that it mattered? Or is that something that we learn with the passage of time. Would you be afraid to take a photograph of something amazing out of fear that you might see something better later in the day? Would you spend time staring at pages and pages of gear online to find the right camera for your one shot? Or be happy with the camera you have? Can you silence the voice in your head and be present to the moments that matter? The subjects that matter? The stories that matter?
What if it were the last photograph you were going to make? What if you were done with photography? What would your last seeing be? What would you want to show me? What story do you want me to feel? What do you think I should see about your world? Do those small moments matter? If they don’t, why do we think life can all change in the blink of an eye? Can’t life change with the click of the shutter? Don’t I change with each click of the shutter more than the world around me?
Would you always share your photograph? Or would the world around you and those moments become so special to you that you wouldn’t share them? Would you be willing to risk it? Would you be willing to be criticized for the work? Can you be praised?
Shouldn’t ever photograph we make have the heart and soul as if it were our last? Why do we not live our lives this way? Why do only some photographs matter? Doesn’t every moment behind the lens matter. Doesn’t every moment in life.