The last image in my quarantine workshop was to be a conceptual one involving a red balloon. I knew immediately what I wanted to do:
For whatever reason, I’ve always liked doing conceptual composites with balloons. Like this image done years ago:
Or this one of Natalie:
I don’t know what it is about them, but I have fun with the composites.
I’m not sure I pulled this off or not. I think self-doubt is part of being a photographer (or any artist for that matter). That angst can detract from the fun. It can be helpful in trying to deliver the best I can do, but there’s that little voice in the head that keeps questioning.
I recently read some advice from a friend that I need to take more of to heart: not every image is going to be great. But you do need to create them. Some of them will be. Some of them won’t. But they will all be. It’s like my running. I hurt my leg a few months ago, and haven’t been the same since. No pace. Endurance took a toll. But I still run. Like taking images, sometimes the journey is hard and feels unfulfilling. But you still do them, because, every now and then, the journey really does reward. Not as often as I would like, but it does happen. You just never know when that is.