Step Out
Not very often do I stray from the boundaries of eleven acres, jump in the car and stroll among the outside world wearing capes, nightgowns and wedding dresses. Not often enough do I explore graveyards, forests, and cities for the perfect photoshoot locations.
I don't take my passion outside of my house enough.
Our house is a comfort zone. We sleep and eat there, we practically breathe our addresses. To stray beyond the safe boundaries of our yard is like straying from our mental comfort zone. People live in that scary world beyond our front doors and in the wise worlds of our favorite hobbit "It's a dangerous business, going out of your front door."
When we express our passions to the outside world, we're showcasing our hearts and emotions for all to see. We are already vulnerable when we create, but we are even more so when we create in front of others. People judge, it may not be right or fair but in our fallen world it comes naturally.
Personally, I would love spending more time out and about shooting pictures in amazing locations. At the time I don't have the 24/7 access to the places away from home without a driver's license. Even with the want to take pictures away from my comfort zone a certain amount of fear comes with it.
Will people be watching? If so what will they be thinking? Questions like these, flood our minds when creating in front or around strangers. So much so it can become hard to focus on creating. Our mind can be so focused on other people's thoughts we forget to think of our art.
When exposed to something that makes us leave our comfort zone, it can be very hard to relax and create in that space. Why is this? I know that for some people it is easy to be out with strangers not caring what they think. But for some of us it tends to be a little harder.
To be pushed past our comfort zones often takes force, we hardly ever go willingly. Wouldn't we all like to stay where it's comfortable and familiar? There is so much out there, but we choose to not to explore, not to discover. We sit there watching the same four walls staring at the same floor.
Out in the huge world is so many amazing things and places all waiting to be explored. Even in our home towns we haven't found everything yet. All we have to do is step out and go for it. Forget what others might think or say. Does it matter in the long run? You can't please everyone, it's pointless to try and yet we still do. We try our best not to offend anyone or say the wrong thing that might hurt someones feelings. This takes so much effort and dulls down the person we could be.
All of us were born to be different yet we try so desperately to fit into a mold. Pleasing everyone is impossible, people will be offended and feelings will be hurt. But when we cannot continue with our passion because we're trying to fit in, maybe it is time to start ignoring some of the things people say and start paying attention to what our heart is trying to say.
Once we start putting all of our focus on others thoughts we ignore our own and start fearing we won't please everyone. People have different tastes and likes, trying to please everyone is completely impossible.
If your heart is asking you to do a picture in a public space, why not? The worst thing that could happen is you become the source of an interesting dinner conversation that will have no effect on what you did. Or you might even inspire someone to start photography.
Don't let others hold you back from your dreams and your passions. If you want to take a picture in public go for it! Ignore other people and focus on yourself for a short period of time. Do what you want to do and create to satisfy yourself.
It might take a few tries to get comfortable when creating around others, but after that the entire world becomes your backdrop and an unlimited amount of pictures are right in front of you. All you have to do is step out your door. It may be a dangerous business stepping our of your front door, but it is worth it. Step out. Create something.
