Best Meteor Shower In Years
Tonight is one of the best opportunities to photograph the best Perseid Meteor Shower in years, and yet I find myself at home with a myriad of reasons I am not out making art.
Because the meteor shower this year coincides with a new moon, the opportunity to see and photograph is great. Yet not planning ahead and managing the things that keep me from being artistically productive has grounded me.
Where To Find Focus
This happens to even the most focused artist. There will never be a shortage of things to distract you from what you really want to accomplish. Many of those activities are necessary, and there is no getting around dealing with them. Yet, there are so many that can be delayed or ignored. It is tough to ignore all of life’s distractions.
Part of being artistically productive is knowing what you want with your field, where you want to go, and making a plan to get there. Then, when other parts of life get in the way, you have a sense of what you need to do to stay on track.
Opportunities Missed Is A Future Opportunity Gained
For me, this was an opportunity missed, and certainly many other friends and colleagues will be showing some great night images in the days ahead. I do know there is a lesson to be learned here, which is to think ahead, plan ahead, stay focused, and manage the areas of your life that do not help you meet those goals.
Now its time to start planning for Labor Day Weekend! How about thinking about 2016? Like driving, the further ahead you are looking, the better you will respond.
T.M. Schultze is a San Diego-based photographer, traveller, and writer. He writes, photographs, and draws things of the outdoors that have inspired humans for thousands of years. He co-authored the Photographer’s Guide to Joshua Tree Park which can be purchased here.