30 Days of Thanks | Day 5: Movie Quotes

It's not THAT old.

But seeing as how this movie came out when I was in the 9th grade and I'm now zyxerdaffsd;jfkjsadf years old....it feels a teeny bit dated.

HOWEVER! Thought-provoking, heart-tugging movies never go out of style for me and that's how I feel about watching "Mr. Holland's Opus".

I once heard another photographer talk about how she took the time to be inspired by other forms of art, ones that you would never think had anything to do with her own. She talked about watching ballet, movies, dance performances. In it, there is inspiration that awakens the other senses of a human being, perhaps even driving their creativity even more.



This was such a great reminder because so often, I get very caught up in following rules. And not necessarily in a way that's cute or endearing, but more like annoying and kinda controlling and ugh, you just end up feeling like the biggest loser because the world just caught a peek at something you're embarrassed about. And blech, I hate the feeling and hate admitting it even more. It's especially frustrating when I have these moments and discover  with incredible dismay that it's crept it's sneaky way into my photography. Have to do it this way, have to follow that process, have to structure it like so and so. All in the attempts to be, ironically, free and creative. 

I recently watched Mr. Holland's Opus and a line he said tugged at the controlling parts of my heart...

"Play the sunset..."



And in that tiny line, but profound line, I am reminded to let go. To photograph with a heart and mindset of freedom. To capture what I think is beautiful and creative and free and cool and inspiring and awesome. To allow myself as an artist to feel and create and put my own stamp on it instead of being confined by the unforgiving talons of fear or rules or the lie that this has to fit this box or that in order to be beautiful, worthy to be called art.

To play the sunset.
#30daysofthanks