Mistakes, the foundation of your own truth

We walk our own roads and choose our own paths. No two journeys are ever the same. And when we realize that, when we find our own path, we know that we will make mistakes somewhere down the line. But it’s those mistakes, the detours that we’ve taken along the way, that take us to where we ought to be.

Some mistakes end up being beautiful, and they are what adds colour to what could be a very dull life. And if by making a mistake you only learn to not judge others so severely, what greater a lesson?

Mistakes are inevitable. They lead us, teach us, grow us. There is not as much to be learnt from success as there is from failure. Mistakes are your own foundation of truth. And although they do not have to define the rest of your life, perhaps they could define they way you live the rest of it.

Moments

There's a moment in everybody's life when you're hopeless, just helpless with hope and trust. 

And then something happens, something too big to understand, and then everything changes forever. 

If you ask me, you start out with goodness so pure and clear you won't even know it's there, because that's the way it is when you don't know anything. 

And then the news begins to arrive. 

The Concert

Anything that can bring people together, heal wounds, lift spirits, is magic. Music has that magic. It is a universal language; the words might be in a language that you cannot even understand, but you can still feel the music and experience its power. But there is nothing like experiencing live the music you love – where music truly comes alive is at the concert.

In that stadium or arena, all those thousands of fans are united for those few hours and they all feel the same thing – that they are not alone anymore and the music is all that matters. It can be felt in the air; it drifts with the sound and pulses through your body, through your very being. In that moment we are all in love and we all have something to believe in again.

The recent Linkin Park concert in South Africa saw 80 000 fans gather at Soccer City in Johannesburg – 80 000 people all in one place to live in the moment of loving the music together of a band they feel like they’ve grown to know through their music – a band who seems to understand their feelings without ever having met them. Music has that power.

You look around and everyone is mouthing the same lyrics but the words mean something different to everyone; they’ve all heard that song at some point in their own lives and remember it for different reasons, fell in love with it for different reasons, but they all find themselves together in that transcendent moment singing the same song, loving the same thing.

My Thanks for 2012

I would like to thank all those who have chosen Lee Folkard Photography to capture your memories in 2012.

I would also like to thank those who have supported my work; those that commented on images and status's via the Facebook Page; Lee Folkard Photography.
Those who have retweeted or "starred" my tweets, via twitter; Lee Folkard.
Those who have read, commented and shared blogposts on the Blog - Lee Folkard Photography.

I would my loyal corporate clients who have made use of my services throughout the year. And also all those who have purchased images from the website; www.leefolkard.com.

I would like to thank all those close to me who continue to support my passion and my work.

Thank you.

Here's to seeing you again and again and again in 2013. Even if it is just through virtual contact.

That Holiday Sadness

You know that feeling you get on a Sunday afternoon? Its not just that the weekend is over and you have to go back to school or work the next day, but a feeling like the dream is over and you have to get out of bed.

There’s a bit of that feeling every holiday too. It’s the best and worst time of the year. There’s a reason to be happy when you have people to share the time with and there’s an excuse to listen to lame music and not roll your eyes at soppy things anymore.

But for those who are alone, it is the worst. Even for those who are lucky enough to have love around them, it will end and you have to go back to work and school once the holiday is over and start a new year all over again.

It is true; all good things must come to an end. But that is no reason to not enjoy it while it lasts.

Sometimes...

Sometimes, there are moments in life that take your breath away.

It’s the simple moments; the smile on the face of the person you love, the breeze on a blistering hot day, the smell of your mother’s cooking.

Live for the simple moments; the little joys found in everyday life. Because if we know the value of these small events, we know the treasure of the bigger ones.

Just stop for a moment, close you eyes, and breathe in the awe of life.

If Only...

“Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, “It might have been.””

-       Kurt Vonnegut

One of the worst things to have to live with is regret. There is no baggage quite as heavy as the weight that comes with opportunities not grabbed and chances not taken; as moments that have passed you by.

It’s a simple thought, a simple to solution, which can save you a lifetime of “What if’s?” and a lifetime of living in a time that could have been. You see, sometimes we have to earn our futures. Anything worth having has to be earned, and if there is a good and happy future to be had, it must be earned. And to earn it, you have to make choices that you can look back on years later and not wish that you would have done things differently. If you do not earn your future, you risk the fate of living in your present for all your life – or worse yet, living in your past.

Do something because you want to, not because you have to. Grab the moment, seize the day, kiss on the first date. Don’t let the noose of regrets wrap itself around your neck, robbing you of the sweet air found in living the life of your dreams.

“Time’s Winged Chariot”

“But at my back I always hear

Time’s winged chariot drawing near”

-       Andrew Marvell, To His Coy Mistress

Time will always be the uncontrollable factor of man’s life; it is one of the only things that can liberate us and imprison us.

The nature of time is almost like a butterfly landing in the palm of your hand, if you’ve ever given it a chance to; you blink and as suddenly as it landed, it takes flight once again leaving you to wonder if it had ever been there at all.

Andrew Marvell coaxed his mistress with the thought that time is passing them by and they needed to make the most of their time together; they needed to make love before their youth became their past. Life is seducing us to have our love-affair with it; waiting for us to grab the chance to live like today is all we have.

In life, all you have is the moment. Once the moment passes by, it becomes a memory only alive to you in your mind. Memories of the same event exist differently in different peoples’ minds, but the moment is the same for everyone experiencing it. All you have is that moment before it passes by, before the butterfly takes flight once again.

But sometimes, that moment is all you really need.

those Moments

"A few times in my life I've had moments of absolute clarity, when for a few brief seconds the silence drowns out the noise and I can feel rather than think, and things seem so sharp and the world seems so fresh.

I can never make these moments last.

I cling to them, but like everything, they fade.

I have lived my life on these moments.

They pull me back to the present, and I realize that everything is exactly the way it was meant to be."

This is Art

As photographers, we must view our profession as an art. It’s not just a way to make a few bucks. Otherwise, we’re only taking snapshots and someone is hiring us for the equipment we own, not for our artistic vision and creativity.



Think of it this way. You could hire anyone to paint your portrait, but does that mean every artist’s painting will be of the same quality? Of course not. Will you automatically go with the lowest bid, regardless of style and quality? It depends on what you’re after. The artist who has mastered his craft or is constantly improving will undoubtedly produce a fine work while the beginner who does not understand lighting, color, and posing will produce something that is sub par and unappealing. Yes, it will cost less to hire the inexperienced artist, but do you really want to look at a poor painting of yourself for the rest of your life?


In the same way, photography is an art. We are “painting” with light and capturing the results on a camera rather than with brushes on a canvas. It can be difficult to remember this when our work and prices are compared unfairly to lesser qualified photographers. But trust me, there are plenty of people out there who still value our quality and want to create art with us.


When someone visits our website and decides to contact us, they do so because something in our portfolio appeals to them. Perhaps they’re moved by a particular photo or can envision themselves being photographed in our unique style. They consider hiring us because they want us to make them look beautiful and create artistic photographs to remember a certain moment in their life. This means we get to collaborate together on wardrobe, setting, mood, and more. Rather than taking snapshots of a client, we’re teaming with them to make art that evokes emotion and lasts. This is exciting!


Keep learning and pursuing your passion in photography and the recognition and respect for your work will come. Always put forth your best effort and give your clients something they can’t get anywhere else. They’ll love you for it! No matter what, view photography as an art and not just a means to an end. This will keep you thriving and loving your profession while others fade away.
 

Moments of Clarity

"A few times in my life thus far I've had moments of absolute clarity, when for a few brief seconds the silence drowns out the noise and I can feel rather than think, and things seem so sharp and the world seems so fresh.

I can never make these moments last.

I cling to them, but like everything, they fade.

I have lived my life on these moments.

They pull me back to the present, and I realize that everything is exactly the way it was meant to be."

Moments

"Some moments are just to good to be missed.
They make you smile whenever you remember them, and if you've captured them, it's always worth the revisit."