Tag: face your fears

Fear…

is it stopping you?

DSC_3800-EditHave a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.

Charles Dickens

I wanted to share this moment with you. It was taken this week at the shelter that I do volunteer photography for and for me it captures why I’m there.

I’ve lived in this community for twelve years now and until December had never ventured into the shelter. Why? Fear and my expectations about what it would be like to look into those eyes and then walk out the door leaving them behind.

The only way to conquer your fears though is to move through them. Like so many other things that I’ve done from falling in love with night photography when I’m afraid of the dark, to taking scuba diving lessons when I was younger to get myself back in the water after watching Jaws, fear was holding me back from doing something that I felt I could contribute to in a meaningful way.

We’ve gotten into a routine now that’s really nice and I look forward to my time at the shelter. It’s a special group of people and their love of animals is evident.

This image you might think, not so remarkable, lots of dogs know how to “shake”.

But…

he only has three paws, he’s missing a back leg!

So much heart.

There are many ways to make a difference, don’t let fear keep you from doing something. Work through it and you might be surprised at what you discover.

Come on…what are you afraid of?

 

Getting up close and personal…

with your fears.

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nephila clavipes

There is no such thing as paranoia. Your worst fears can come true at any moment.

Hunter S Thompson

One of the great things about being a photographer is the complete control that you have over subject matter and something that I like to do when presented with the opportunity is to get out of my comfort zone and photograph something that I am not comfortable with.

While on a recent trip to Florida I came across this largest of North American spiders with the exception of the tarantula, the banana spider. I did in fact shudder but taking a deep breath I began to photograph her with what looked like her offspring.

While this spider is venomous, its bite is not fatal, at least that was what I kept telling myself as I moved around her trying to capture her and the color in that beautiful golden web.

I have found that looking at something through a camera lens has a  desensitizing effect because it seems that a different part of your brain kicks in and focuses on the light and other technical issues, over-riding the part that says “run, save yourself!” 

In the interests of full disclosure I will admit to using a telephoto and NOT my macro lens for this shot…after all these spiders are large with a body size of 1-3″ and leg spans of up to 5″!

I can make a mental check mark beside venomous spider now, what’s next you ask? Gulp…a snake?