Being a creative comes with so much self-critique that it can be hard to feel proud of one’s work. Many creatives I know (and myself) don’t give themselves credit for their accomplishments and often apologize for not upholding some standard of perfectionism that, realistically, cannot be achieved in something as subjective as art. Even if hours, days, weeks, etc. are spent creating work, it feels like that time was wasted and nobody will appreciate the dedication, the care, or the passion that went into it.

I’ve certainly been guilty of this modesty and I have a tendency to shy away from openly declaring pride in my work. It could be due to the fear that someone will call us out for being bad at our craft. All it would take is that one negative judgment and we would be ready to quit creating and perhaps “stick to our day jobs”. Still, there are those rare times that completely throw off this deprecation. The image below is my example of this.

I can remember setting up this shot in awe of the scene before me. My dad and I were on a road trip around Iceland together, frequently pulling over to snap photos of the magnificent landscapes that sprawled before us.

This time in particular felt like all the previous stops until I got back in the vehicle. I distinctly remember reviewing my images and turning to my dad when I came across this one. I remember buzzing to him about how much potential I believed this photo had.

I still look back at this photo over two years later and feel immense pride. I credit myself for having the skill to operate my camera in the conditions available, and for being in the right place at the right time when this light lasted for mere seconds.

Although it took some time since creating this image, I now feel confident enough in my work to make it available for print. I can’t wait to see it hanging up in someone’s home! If you are interested in purchasing this image, please consider checking out my store. This image as well as several others are available in a variety of sizes.

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