Do you ever think about things you did in the past and go, “WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!”
Like those white wash jeans, or the neon scrunchies, stirrup pants, clunky Dock Martin’s and JNCOs. Don’t deny it, you had a pair. I have had a horrible realization lately (on my rare shopping sprees), that what I thought would never happen is actually edging its way back into American mainstream again….80’s fashion. Say it isn’t so! I will resist returning to the neon colors and white wash jeans thank you very much.
But seriously, there are so many pictures I look at of myself and think, ‘You had to be crazy! Did you seriously think that looked good or were you suffering from unknown ‘lost your mind and can’t make rational decisions’ syndrome?!?!!?…along with the rest of mainstream culture.
As much as this is baffling to me, I do think in a way it reminds us that life is a journey of growth and PROGRESS! This happened to me recently in a professional sense as I took a walk down memory lane from where I started to where I am today. I brought out my old portfolio and as I was sifting through it, my mouth dropped to the floor. I may have let out a confused, “What in the world?!?!? I thought that looked good?!” Or I at least thought it in my head.
My main mistake (and believe me, no matter how ‘artsy’ it is…it’s a mistake) was that I for some strange reason, thought it was cool to make the horizon line at a 45 degree angle. Was I cool or what? Definitely what. My subjects were suddenly defying gravity and I was giving my viewers a headache. See below for example.
DISCLAIMER: I am revealing growth as an artist. We all need growth…don’t judge. I’m already judging myself.
(please note that these were taken a long time ago and my sisters were troopers to let me practice on them when I first started. Also note that these were taken in Oklahoma and Texas. Two of the flattest states around…)
Seriously, why did I think that was a good shot?!?!
Apparently she’s walking up a mountain…in the plains of Oklahoma.
While I certainly don’t pretend to be an expert these days, I do think that I have learned a thing or two over the past few years in this industry and as an artist. One being, what is natural is almost always better.
Since I started this journey, I’ve learned the value of leveling your horizons…both literally and figuratively. To stand on solid ground. To not climb a mountain if I don’t have to. As I look to the future, I’m grateful for my ‘white wash jeans’ phases, but I want to keep growing and changing for the better. As a photographer and as a person.
So, in the name of white wash jeans and level horizons,
I say, Take Me Back!
Happy Tuesday!