One picture | One paragraph.
I drive by this scene often. It’s on my way to and from the grocery store, the library, the gas station, the bank. My eyes stop here every single time. I’ve given thought to why that might be. At first, I thought I was drawn by a sense of sadness to this Christmas tree lot, now abandoned in the new year. I didn’t buy a tree, and I worried they would be left standing this year, when Christmas didn’t feel like Christmas at all. Every time I passed by, I almost stopped. I kept hearing the voice of photography mentors about the pictures they never made and regretted. In my head, the picture wasn’t worth braving the cold frosty morning. But what if I was wrong? What if my judgment was too harsh? I jumped out of the car and took a few frames from a few different angles, happy for the new fingerless gloves I got for Christmas. Studying the picture on the large monitor of my computer back at home, I realized that it wasn’t sadness that drew me to the scene at all. It was gratitude and joy. The scene isn’t slick and beautiful; it’s all about feelings. For being with the people I love.