Chasing Sunsets: Finding Happiness as a Photographer

My plane accelerates and lifts into the dusky sky. As we get on course heading west, I realize that we are flying into the sunset. I love sunsets. From aerial perspective, this watercolor palette stretches almost infinitely before me. With glee, I wonder if we will be able to outrun the setting sun. How fast do airplanes fly? Can we catch it?

What if we went just fast enough to perpetually be in sunset? If night could never catch me, how much more could I get done?

How many times have I been at my computer until late at night trying to finish that last project? With my children yearning for my attention, the housework in shambles, and cereal for dinner, the pieces just don’t seem to fit together. Where is the magic fairy to make it all work?

My words today are for the weary, the discouraged, the hard-working, and the tired. You may be a seasoned photographer with a store-front studio, or a beginner just trying to wrap your head around exposures. No matter what anyone says, we all have times where we aren’t enough. We haven’t met our quotas, we didn’t book that bride, we didn’t make as much this year as we hoped, no one wants to hire us, or we’re not growing as much as we want.

Wouldn’t it be perfect if we could fly fast enough to perpetually be in sunset, to have as many hours of the day as we wanted? Think of how many tasks we could accomplish with our super-human ability! But at what point would we be satisfied with ourselves? If we could do so much, then we would naturally expect ourselves to then do even more.

Here is a thought to ponder: you don’t have to be everything. You don’t.

We don’t have to book every bride to be happy, or have someone hire us today, this week, or this year in order to proclaim ourselves of deserved happiness. We don’t have to be busier than that other photog, or charge more than someone. If we’re constantly straining ourselves to meet some unknown and unachievable standard set by what we think the photography world wants of us, we will always come up short.

The happiness and peace we so desire can come as a fruit of one word. That word must grow and develop inside of us. It must be nurtured and given attention to, just as any plant we want to eat the fruit of.

The word I am referring to is gratitude.

If we are grateful, we look into the eyes of our clients differently, and cherish those relationships. We aren’t casting them aside in the constant pursuit of looking for more clients to add to our lists or give us money. We won’t feel threatened when we see another photographer shoot another wedding or see they raised their prices. We will be happy that someone somewhere was joyful about the images they received, no matter who took them.

Maybe sunsets shouldn’t be a time to rush to get everything done, and pack in as much as we possibly can before the end of the day. Perhaps they can be a time of reflection and solitude. Maybe by taking the time to reflect and be grateful, we may discover that the insignificantly small collection of stones we’ve collected actually contain precious gems inside. What stones are you holding? What is in your bag? Take time to reflect on your bag: your talents, your assets, your people and family.

Give yourself permission to be okay with what you accomplished. Breathe in and out, and decide what you are grateful for about your life, your home, your job, and yourself. Only when we stop trying to chase our sunsets to the bitter end, can we really see them for the beauties they are.

I see the colors of this sunset fade to burnt umber, dull yellow and deep blue. Again I have failed to chase the sunset. I haven’t accomplished everything in the world. I haven’t booked 10 brides today, or shot 10 seniors or even crossed 10 things off on my to-do list.

But I can breathe and be at peace knowing that the dawn will come again soon. As the last wisps of color fade into deep blue, I can remember that with the new golden light of dawn comes a brand new day. If can choose to start that day with a grateful heart, I will find a renewed sense of purpose.