Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.
~ Yousuf Karsh

I started taking photos and documenting what I see as I walk through life trying to capture the feeling I get when I come across something interesting, unexpectedly beautiful, or simply captivating. It’s my way of reminding myself that despite the difficulties and stress, there are still simple joys, wonder, and peace surrounding me.

I try my best to capture exactly what it is about the scene or object that makes me pause, take notice, and sparks that sense of happiness and curiosity. Whether it’s the way the light falls, the intensity of naturally occurring colors, or contrast between two objects.

I’ve been scrolling through my camera roll, culling and organizing photos, and thought I’d share a few of my recent favorites.

The Coral Splash

I was trying to take a calm, pretty photo of this coral on a pristine white sand beach, incredibly vibrant turquoise water stretching out behind it, a gentle foamy wave rolling in.

I was half sitting, half laying in the sand at a weird angle, trying to keep my shadow out of the frame. The waves had been slow and soft—barely skimming the coral.

Except this one.

It rushed in fast and with a lot more energy, and completely caught me by surprise! It knocked me over—definitely not my most graceful moment. A man and his little boy nearby tried not to laugh.

As I tumbled backward, I hit the shutter a few times in a quick burst.

Later, scrolling through the photos, I stopped at this one.

“Wait… what?? Did I take that?”

A lucky shot, taken in one of my clumsier moments—and now one of my favorites.

The Man with the Pigeons

Pigeons—often dismissed as dirty, ordinary city birds.

I took this on a drizzly afternoon in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. We were standing in a square when I turned and saw a man wading through a huge flock.

I watched him as he lifted his arm, pigeons immediately flew up to perch on it, fluttering on and off as if taking turns.

It was unexpectedly beautiful.

I stood there mesmerized, watching him move through the flock, completely at ease, casually letting them land on him like it was nothing.

I took a few shots and caught this one—wings spread wide, one bird lifting off.

I love this photo.

Even the things we might consider to be ordinary, filthy and unattractive can be beautiful. Pigeons are doves, after all.

The Pilons and Turquoise Water

Luke and I were walking along a dock when we passed these rusty pilons sticking out of the water.

What caught my attention was the contrast—old, weathered metal rising out of impossibly clear turquoise water. It shouldn’t have worked, but it did.

I slowed down to take in the details. What I loved about the scene was that it was both orderly and chaotic. The pilons lined up obediently, standing straight, trying to maintain order, while the water just swirled around them without any concern for order and conformity at all.

The combination of rough industrial pilons existing side-by-side with clear blue water made it feel strangely beautiful.

Now it’s one of my favorites.

Fred

This is my cat Fred, curled up on a little stool that happens to be perfectly Fred-sized.

The softness and comfort of an ordinary moment.

And honestly, much like the rest of us, sometimes Fred just wants to tuck his face in and hide from life for a while… with a clear “don’t bug me right now” attitude.

You don't take a photograph, you make it.
~ Ansel Adams

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