Pine Stand

I was very lucky this Christmas and my wonderful wife gifted me with a Mavic Mini which has given me the opportunity begin exploring the world of aerial drone photography. Having the opportunity to see the world from a whole new perspective that, until the explosion in affordable consumer UAVs, has been available to only a select few. As I learn more and explore this exciting new aspect to my photography I will be sure to share my adventure with you, here on this blog (which I will try to make a regular feature) as well on social media via Facebook and Instagram.

While the excitement of being able to learn a new tool and expand my craft is amazing, in reality it has brought into focus (sorry for the pun, I honestly can’t help myself) what I think is one of humanity’s most overlooked and under appreciated gifts, our ability to see. Over the past year, I haven’t got out to photograph as much as I would like thanks to having to deal with a few health issues in addition to the lunacy that is modern life. The most relevant of which to this post was being diagnosed with Keratoconus during a routine eye exam.

Suburban Florida

Basically, my corneas were thinning and my vision was rapidly degrading. Over the course of a year I went from perfectly fine vision to having to lean in to read normal size text on a 24” monitor. Assuming that my age was just catching up to me and I needed glasses I went to my wife’s eye doctor for a routine exam. Well, I was right that I needed glasses, but I also needed to see a specialist to explore my treatment options (thankfully the degradation can be stopped, and in some cases reversed). Fortunately, I was blessed with the ability to see an expert on the condition located only a few hours south of me. After a relatively simple procedure, my prognosis is good.

While only a minor blip compared to the issues many have to deal with on a daily basis, my diagnosis impressed on me how important our vision is and how lucky the sighted are to have it. Our world is so fast paced and dense with visual information that it is so easy to let the beauty of the world around us pass without notice. I think that photography is an important vehicle to better seeing the beauty in the world and appreciating it. Allowing the viewer to examine a single moment in time, often only a fraction of a second, taking in all that it has to offer. So in 2020, I am going to be making an effort to slow down and enjoy all the beauty there is to see, make beautiful photographs and share them. I encourage you to do the same.

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The Gift Of Vision