It’s late December, the day after Christmas. My last post of 2024. Our first significant snowfall occurred this week, which was perfect timing for that picture-perfect holiday. It’s cold, too. It’s not extreme, but enough to be uncomfortable. I’m not a fan of the cold; I prefer a temperature bordering on too hot for many.

I’ve been thinking about a previous post discussing how taking a break is good for your photography. It’s still on my mind, even more so as we move into the winter months. I find it very challenging to feel motivated to take photos when it’s cold and dark. And this period lasts for months. We’ve all been there: where you were once excited about the prospect of photography, now seems more of a task and maybe even a hassle.

I started photography long ago when the YouTube photography community was in its infancy, and finding helpful information wasn’t as instantaneous as it is today. At that time, the Photoshop experience was more experimental, and Lightroom didn’t even exist. Today, there is essentially an endless supply of photography content.

It is a 20-minute drive from where I live to the airport. I’ve done that drive often, to and from, dropping off and picking up. The route there isn’t exclusive to the airport, as it’s the main route from Nova Scotia to the neighbouring provinces. But those first 20 minutes always remind me of travelling. Passing the airport, the cargo planes are visible from the road, and if I’m lucky, some arriving or departing flights.

Sometimes, I feel motivated to photograph with every chance I have. Other times, and this is especially true in the winter, my motivation declines as the bad weather, sometimes bitter wind chill, and overall inconvenience of going out to shoot take over, and nothing is captured. Taking each opportunity to photograph is essential as it will help with the progression and improvement of photography and the enjoyment of doing so.

When planning to travel somewhere, we often debate whether we should go. We wait for the perfect time to fit this into our busy lives. We may hesitate to commit as we look at the factors that weigh our decision. We have been heavily researching and eagerly anticipating, and this could now be the ideal time to book that vacation and embark on that adventure on our wish list.

It’s fair to mention that travel can be expensive, and with life’s commitments, having the money and time to travel can be challenging. If you are fortunate enough to be able to travel, I encourage you to go somewhere, even if you know nothing about the place you plan to visit. There are many benefits of breaking your daily routine and experiencing a difference in your day-to-day.

In Lightroom, my currently imported library contains over 14,000 photos, and my complete archive is many times that. I look through this library, often looking for those hidden gems in the ones I’ve overlooked; sometimes, I find them; sometimes, they continue to elude me, and sometimes, they were never there to discover. When I dig through my archive, I notice something evident in many of my photo sets - the first 10-25 captures are usually terrible.

As photographers, we constantly seek new inspiration and push to capture new photographs. We find inspiration by looking at work from other photographers, reading photography books, or watching YouTube videos. It’s easy to get caught up in getting new content as there are always travels and adventures and opportunities that you see that you would love to be part of yourself.