Last weekend, in 2025, I embarked on another journey to Monroe, Louisiana, to deliver new artwork for the 62nd Annual Juried Competition. This trip was significantly shorter than my previous one to Florida, and I didn’t have to contend with the lingering effects of the pandemic. However, I found the juxtaposition of my travels intriguing.
A few years ago, in November 2022, I had taken a road trip to Florida to drop off my photography. But on that same trip, I would discover photography as a medium for fine art.
I simply enjoyed photographing flowers in 2022. I wasn’t aware of the master photographers in my field at the time. I needed my work to be evaluated since I had been out of the art market since college. So I entered a juried art show, patiently waited for a few months, and was thrilled to receive an invitation to display my work in Sarasota, Florida! I would use this opportunity to hand-deliver my artwork to the gallery while exploring the United States with my camera in hand. November 2022 was also quite stormy, forcing me to become familiar with the concept of the exposure triangle, a concept that photographers refer to. I felt a profound transformation during this trip.
Fast forward to 2025, and I’m once again delivering photography to a gallery. The piece I’ll be traveling with was inspired by Dutch and Flemish painters from the 17th century, a newfound passion of mine. Much has changed since the last time I traveled on these same roads. More people were at gas stations. More garbage was present in the medians. Surprisingly enough, however, the amount of people on the roadways between Texas and Louisiana felt less as before. More storefronts appeared shuttered. Building projects were half-finished. The landscape felt just as barren.
The pandemic was a time I had felt more adventurous. Now, I don’t know. Perhaps cautious is the right word to use? I never wanted to be one of those photographers who fell into the trap of being typecast in one particular genre. Yet I am beginning to understand why certain artisans do. Maybe I am at a time in my development where I feel I have to choose? Red pill or blue pill? Do I relent? Or do I take the plunge into the unknown?
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