A moment of inspiration

I was in town the other day (actually just two days ago) waiting for the guy who repaired my phone to arrive at his stall, so I randomly went into Waterstones (I can't believe there are so many Waterstones on one High Street - they're all a stone's throw away from one another ha ha geddit?) to while away my time. Among the stillness of the place and the pleasant smell of new books, I rediscovered my safe haven. 

I have never been into this Waterstones outlet before so I walked around, trying to absorb the charm of the bookstore. I went upstairs to the photography section, wishing I could read each and every book on display. And then, lying on a table was this huge, thick book, titled Stunning Photographs by National Geographic, that caught my eye - because a breathtaking scene of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, glazes its cover.

I immediately picked it up and flicked through the pages. Gorgeous, magnificent, out of this world photographs engulfed me in a moment where it felt like I had been transported inside the pages of the book to those sceneries. The more I looked at the photographs, the quicker I turned the pages and suddenly these two pages filled with words appeared and I stopped, because the first word, 'Discovery', jumped out at me. I read the first sentence and it took a while for the meaning to sink in but after that, I was completely intrigued by how intelligent the words came together. My eyes briefly swept across the pages, picking out some of the most impactful sentences and beginning to feel a sense of wonder gradually filling me. 

I was impressed, but I started moving on to other pages. However, something inside me made me want to go back to those pages. I decided to pick up the book, go to that one lone chair in the corner of the bookstore, and read the paragraph(s) without missing a word. It has been a long time since I have come across words that speak so powerfully to me (apart from the Bible) that I go over the sentences again and again, and at that moment it hit me right in the heart. There are literally no words to describe how truly inspired I felt - I just wanted to burst into bubbles of happiness on the spot. It is just one of those great moments where you suddenly have an epiphany and realise, hey, there's more to life than just securing a high-paying job and be in that comfort zone for the rest of your life. I need this reminder every once in a while, and I'm so glad I got it.

So before you read the (very long, but incomplete) quote from the author below, here are some contexts to help you understand my overwhelming joy: 1) I love photography 2) I used to loyally read National Geographic - definitely need to start again 3) I secretly dream of working in National Geographic - someday

"Discovery is one part curiosity, one part genius, and two parts tenacity. Those who seek it, find it, and bring it back as visual proof are more than photographers. They are scientists, geologists, ethnologists, and pioneers. These are the Tintins of our time, restlessly pursuing the highest, the lowest, the deepest, the farthest. One of the unsung perks of working at National Geographic is that you rarely have a dull lunch. The collective energy of our explorers, writers, cartographers, and photographers keeps hope afloat. These are people who have discovered species and named stars. Irrepressible visionaries, they dream about what it feels like to summit a mountain without air, what it looks like deep inside a tornado, and whether there is life beyond our galaxy. Impatient on the edge, they prefer to parachute into the unknown. Fortunately for the rest of the world, they bring cameras along. 

It's an uncomfortable business, as dangerous as it is uplifting. We photographers count among our heroes those we have lost to the mountain, the sea, the avalanche, or the wrath of a tornado. Countless others have endured frostbite, tropical diseases, and roaring seasickness. But, oh, the photographs they bring back! The world now has visual proof of the flight of a falcon. We have seen the summit of Everest and the depths of the Mariana Trench. Magma flies. Stars collide.

My friend and master of photographic innovation Jim Balog once said, "When I worked with wildlife, I learnt the meaning of patience. And when I worked with trees, I learned the meaning of humility." It is a humbling world these photographs deliver. On a planet that seems to teem with humans, it is quite something to be shown a vision that nobody has seen before, or a new view of something most of us thought we knew. These images convert doubters and confirm believers. The astounding is delivered with a flourish. The unimaginable is made certifiable. We see and believe and crave more."

— Annie Griffiths, award-winning photojournalist, author of Stunning Photographs by National Geographic


Just some of the photographs that I grabbed from Google Images that show the magnificence of nature - and people. 

Rediscovering my passion; working towards my dream.