New Horizons
Bora Bora · French Polynesia · French Republic
Among the innumerable beautiful sights I saw on my tropical honeymoon, few compared to the image of my soul mate Ashley picking up and shooting with my lightweight interchangeable lens camera (a Sony a6300) of her own accord. I have no grand delusions that her passion for photography might someday equal or exceed my own (but who knows?), but from Day 1 of our relationship I've come to know her as a remarkably astute observer of the world around her, able to pluck a subtle thread of beauty from a perhaps unflattering tapestry, and in so doing unravel the superficial illusion of ugliness altogether. She'll always be too humble to admit it, but I've seen this quality come through in her words and actions time and time again.
It's even evident in her ‘mere’ iPhone photos...of people, of places, of things, and above all of moments. Her images show a knack for poignancy that she tends to deflect, probably because it’s so subtly instinctual for her. So when she picked up my camera, I saw it as an opportunity for a wider audience to peer a little deeper into her amazing heart while still being able to keep it for my own. I'll take on the assignment of showing her the ropes with the new camera with great pleasure and privilege, as long as she decides I'm worth giving the chance and I don't betray it. Whatever effort it might entail (even though I don’t think it’ll be all that much), I’ll always know in my heart of hearts that it’s all worthwhile.
Because, put simply, she sees this world as more beautiful than you or I might sometimes believe it to be, and I think her photography can help us better understand.
