Courage

To me, the best photography captures a moment, a point in time where you can sum up your life in an instant, and attempt to capture as much of life's happenings as possible in a single frame. I started shooting film again about two years ago, but this time I learned how to develop it myself instead of taking it to the local drop off and getting my pictures back a week later.  There is something about the satisfaction of developing film yourself so I decided to start it, and never looked back.

Our family has the luxury of living in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, the panhandle of Florida.  Yes, Florida is flat and there isn't much seasonal change, but there are spots like this one, where we hike when the weather and our busy schedules allow us.  A two and a half mile stretch of beach and wooded piney trails on Pensacola Bay and Pensacola Sound. A little spot of paradise that we hike and hang out, every chance we get, devoid of people and tourists headed to the beaches.

My son is at that age where the innocence of youth is working its way out;  his voice is getting deeper, understanding the 'inside jokes' the older sibling tells along with his parents joking--stuff we could get away with a couple of years ago. Just life in general changes, where summoning up courage is more of a gray line, not so black and white.

He had contemplated this rope swing over the 100 foot bluff for multiple trips and hikes. The swing can be scary, especially for those who want to jump off and roll down a sandy hill for it's length, or swinging out too far, coming back and hitting the tree--the multiple differing fears that courage eventually overcomes.  Would today be that day?

I took this picture from a higher point on the bluff to try and show the magnitude of the slope, which you aren't used to seeing in Florida. What I was able to frame was the wife and family dog below--bringing memories of a young child jumping into a pool for the first time.  I was also able to show the erosion of the tree to symbolize constant change and how the landscape, along with life, is a constant change and process.  Erosion of childhood fears and growing up feeling indestructible.

I felt 'courage' was an apt title for this shot. I am just not sure if it's for him, or me..

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