When one door closes another one opens.

Life is an unbelievable journey with many ups and downs, and soon this chapter will be coming to an end. In 16 days I will be leaving PA and Woodward Camp to head back to NY, my studio and my next adventure. As I look out at the fiery sunset over camp I can only think about how blessed I am to have these opportunities and moments to cherish in my life. With a touch of sadness and a flutter of excitement I am starting to prepare myself for what comes next, yet trying to stay true to living in the moment.
This summer has been a challenging one emotionally, mentally, and physically. I took on longer hours with my duties as GoPro Digital lab manager at the same time filling up much of my free time with creating, evaluating and shooting my current project "GoPro Portraits 2016". With that said it didn't leave much time for things like sleep, socializing, or even bmx. Even though sometimes I get myself in over my head with work and passion projects that doesn't mean I don't try my damndest to squeeze in some me time; I just have to get creative about it (and drink twice as much coffee). However, at the end of the day I wouldn't change a thing. The choices I make and the paths I follow are my own and for good reason. They may not work for most but after years of trial and error they work best for me.
With that said I am beyond stoked about the direction and focus my "GoPro Portraits 2016" project has taken. What was a silly little idea to keep me busy when my best friend Betsy wasn't around to ride bmx or hang with, took on a life of its only. Now I wake up every morning with my first thoughts being "what am I going to shoot for my photo today?" and that is awesome! I love that feeling; the anticipation, the setup, the shooting and the race against the clock to finish an image everyday within the time constraint of my work schedule, sunlight and mother nature. It has pushed me to think beyond my boundaries and to put myself in positions outside my comfort zone. When I look back at what I photographed day 1 versus today (day 51) I see only growth, change and the intense effort I put into this piece (although I may be a bit bias). A part of me is emotional about laying this project to rest yet, all good things must come to an end. Thus, to preserve the memory and to spread the love even more than I have digitally/web wise, I will be officially releasing my portraits project as a book this coming fall available through my website. (More details to come mid sept/oct)
On that note I leave you with this friendly advice, try to surround yourself everyday with positive things and people for nothing is impossible. So don't give up on your dreams just push through the bad for good is right around the corner. The next adventure awaits...
To see all my current photos for my "GoPro Portraits 2016" project go to www.jeaninenewell.com

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