Saturday, November 21, 2009

The Place Where Vision, High School Rodeos, & Being Vegan Collide

I'm reading Visionmongers: Making A Life And A Living in Photography, an amazing book about photography and vision and passion and choices and direction. I love how the author describes photography and passion. "You don't do it because you can, but because you can't not." I can completely connect with the drive, the urge, the need to photograph, to strive to be better to constantly ask the question, "am I good enough."

And then today I found myself at a High School Rodeo. I was there to watch my niece and of course I took my camera. Because I always take my camera. Everywhere.


Did I mention I'm vegan? I don't eat meat. I don't eat anything that came from an animal. The leather products I own are from my pre-vegan life as it now seems wasteful to simply throw them away. I'm going to at least use them up before I replace them.

And there I was. In the heart of beef eating, cattle herding, PETA loathing rodeo land. With my camera. So I took photos. A lot of photos. And although there was part of me thinking, what kind of hypocrite am I? The photographer in me was amazed at the movement, the light, the beauty I could capture.

Ok. So my calling isn't in rodeo images. I know that. It would suck the very life from me. But for one day, for a few hours. I completely enjoyed it. And in so many ways it was easier than photographing 4 year olds!

5 comments:

Myra said...

You know, sometimes it's about appreciating where you are and seeing the beauty of it. I'm like you - wouldn't get a whole lot from going to a rodeo. It would feel weird. But you captured beautiful images.

Amy L said...

I love those action shots, Katrina!

Anonymous said...

So glad that you could make it to Oakdale, was afraid that the month was going to go by and I would miss seeing Ian.Something to think about, several of the kids that participate in the rodeo do not eat meat.:) found that out last night
Love U mom

Britgirl said...

i linked to you too :)http://britgirl.typepad.co.uk/sweet_nothings/2009/11/creative-with-a-k-.html
my most inspirational friend. can you take me to a rodeo? and bake me vegan cakes?? I'll take you to winchester and the New forest... deal?! ;)

amanda said...

where are the other pictures you took, i heard you took some good ones of miss kylie

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