As much as I hate to admit it, I have become a bit of a cliché. Yes, that's right I am guilty of fulfilling the role of "the typical white girl" constantly taking pictures (maybe almost obsessively). I like to think I don't have any sort of real problem with this, but the 9,568 pictures on my camera roll tell me otherwise. Yes, that's really how many pictures I have on my phone! So is that a problem? Do I need to get that checked out? Maybe, I do have a slight obsession (I do), but believe it or not the almost 10,000 pictures on my phone have served a greater purpose in my life.

I have always been an observer and a "noticer". The little things and the beautiful things have always appealed to me. Old couples holding hands, spilled paint on the garage floor, morning light dancing on the walls: why would I not want to permanently capture these things to hold in my pocket forever? The answer to that question is easy: some things aren't supposed to be held onto for forever; some things are meant for the moment. To this statement I must agree. Let special moments celebrate themselves. However, some moments are perhaps worth holding onto a little longer. Not all of them, but some of them. If an image can be used to inspire creativity and beauty inside the heart of another, I say "Take the picture". Ever since I have taken such a keen interest in photography I have noticed myself seeking the beautiful things in ordinary circumstances. My eye catches a color scheme or a smile as quick as a wink. There is something about capturing beautiful moments that has created more beautiful moments in my life. Pictures have become thank you letters in their own way; a way of recognizing my gratefulness for the picturesque.

What I really like about taking pictures though is that it gives others a chance to see life through another's perspective. We can see what sticks out in another's eye and see beauty through their eyes. Although most of the time it is best to go through life without worrying about stopping to take a picture, I have found a large amount of expression and creativity through stopping to capture things here and there. They say "a picture is worth a thousand words" and I have found that to be true. Nothing captures a moment and a feeling quite like a photograph does and while pictures can never replace experience they have taught me how to experience everything in a whole new beautiful light.