In the past months I’ve taken just a fraction of the photos that I normally would’ve. I lost the spark and forgot why I even did photography in the first place. In January, during my college applications, a school asked me what the motivation behind my photos was and what story they were meant to tell. I had no idea, and it sent me spiraling. Now, it’s August, and last night I was reading a book, that helped me remember - after many months - why I take phots in the first place. Not because there’s a hidden secret meaning about life and death in my photos, but because of the joy I get from capturing the magic of the world around me and being able to share glimpses of it with my friends and family. This joy compels me to go out and keep taking pictures, even if sometimes they are not up to my or others’ standards. I remembered the feeling I used to get when taking photos, being truly and fully absorbed by the magic and the beauty of the world around me. From seeing a beautiful landscape like the canyon by my house, to watching two Mourning Doves play tag around my head, even to seeing a simple interaction like an ant crawling on a flower. These all bring a sense of wonder, curiosity, and joy to me that I completely forgot about. Reading this book, A Walk in the Woods by Dr. Joseph and Nancy Parent, allowed me to see that photography is also a means I can use to practice mindfulness by doing things like “mindless wandering” and being connected with my surroundings, and the results of that are the photos I take, and the joy and wonder that they capture. There is so much more I could say, but being an Instagram post, I think I’ll save the rest for later.