reflections of the photographer // denver photojournalism

Today I woke and scurried out the door with one of my best friends on this rock. She decided to book a trip to Coly-rado last week to stay with me and some of our college friends this weekend. I am beyond excited to have this person around (JULIET!!!). Seriously, one of my favorite humans. After dropping her off at a beesknees breakfast, I drove over to Cafe Espressole to edit pictures. I ordered a latte with a shot of hazelnut and a shot of coconut. Brilliant, right? I then expected to find myself in that place of coffee-shop/editing/contentedness. But alas, my chirping noggin threw itself in the way.For some reason today I've been reflecting about what it means to choose a career as a photographer. Obviously, I'm new in this beesknees, so I have limited insight into why the photographer chooses her career. I'll be honest. I had some serious doubts this morning. That familiar hot, gripping fear clouded my vision and my confidence. I love photography, but the path to success remains so foggy.  It's hard for me to even define what success means as a photographer. For doctors, their success saves human life. So of course, I reckon I should go back to school and become a doctor. Med school, really? Yikes. A nurse. A teacher? A lawyer? Since a child, I prided myself in my education and defined myself within the world of academics. Often, I reason a career with rigid guideposts, expectations and meaningful practices may better suite me. Saving lives. Teaching kids. But I always come back to the glass. And the strap. And the click of the shutter. In the past few years, photographs claw their way back into into the depth of my passion.Photographs are meaningful. Caroline, photographs are meaningful. Caroline photographs are meaningful. They hold time when time is no longer. They sketch faces, when faces are no longer. They keep love, when our love no longer lies next to us when we wake on cold, winter mornings. That is when photographs are meaningful.Enough beesknees. I'm off to spend time with one of my best friends. Human of the Year.