A little more than three months ago I committed (to myself) to attempt to submit a weekly photo on the 52frames.com website. Each week they have a different challenge. This week’s challenge is “Fill the frame” with an extra credit challenge of “200 mm.”
The Value of Commitment
“Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose – and commit myself to – what is best for me.”
― The Zahir
I spent much of yesterday and today joyfully making mad experiments with my camera and telephoto lens. My favorite one was to connect all of my extension tubes (they allow me to get closer to my subject), my 100-400 mm telephoto lens, and my 1.4 extender (multiplying the 400 mm reach of my telephoto lens by 1.4) to my camera.
Placing the camera on my tripod I made extreme closeups of the begonia plant I bought earlier this week. Notice how far away the camera is for “extreme closeups” when I use a 100-400 mm telephoto lens.
The camera looked so funny that I used my iPhone to photograph it.
I promised myself to not compare myself to others who post on 52Frames and not to obsess about getting the “perfect” image. But I find I need to regularly remind the achiever part of my personality that this is not a contest. I’m doing it for the joy of it only. If I ever lose that sense of lightness and joy I will quit the challenge.
Today, after I had made several dozen photographs using the telephoto lens, I switched over to using my 50 mm lens and made a couple of dozen more images. It’s been such fun that I haven’t even felt like complaining about the cloudy, cold, blustery days we’ve been having. I’ve been totally engaged in seeing the beauty of this little begonia plant in different ways.
Looking back over several weeks of interesting challenges I realized today that each time I begin working on a challenge I don’t think I have any ideas about what to do. But as I explore and try different things I become totally immersed in a playful experimental mindset that feels quite joyful.
What am I committing to?
When I make a creative commitment to myself I am making a commitment to do a particular creative activity regularly. I’m committing to showing up and doing the things that bring me joy. My commitment is not about a goal of achieving or even improving myself. Rather I commit to being present, open, and non-judgmental doing creative activities that bring me the deepest joy.
The joy is in the doing, not in the results of the doing.
“I don’t sit around waiting for passion to strike me. I keep working steadily, because I believe it is our privilege as humans to keep making things. Most of all, I keep working because I trust that creativity is always trying to find me, even when I have lost sight of it.”
― Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
If I am stretching and growing and getting better at my art, that’s wonderful. But I consider the joy that I get from immersing myself each day in creative ventures to be the real reward of my commitment.
Joy is not an occasional accidental occurrence in my life. It’s something I commit to making a priority as often as I can.
Is it time for you to consider the value of commitment? What commitment do you want to make to yourself?
May you walk in beauty.
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