My 5 Favorite Photos of 2018 (so far)

For the past few years photography has a been a growing hobby / side-hustle / obsession of mine. It combines so many of the things I love - art, travel, adventure, and most of all - the hunger to get better at something. When we can combine our work with the things we love to do, it's pretty amazing.

Epiphany - Keyhole Rock at Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, California

For a couple of weeks each year this keyhole rock at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur is lit up by the sunset. Well, if there are no clouds on the horizon. And...best if it's low tide. And...if you can get there, with the mudslides and road closures. For the past few years I had been shut out. With only one weekend available during the magic period this year, we made a family outing to Big Sur to check it out. After an afternoon of hiking, we rolled up to find the road closed, managed by a park ranger. A line of cars was talking to him, then doing a U-turn to exit. "What's happening?" I asked. "Parking lot is full. Try coming back in 10 minutes." "Ugh...Can I just walk down to the beach?" "Sorry, there's no pedestrian access"

I drove away with that sinking feeling in my stomach. I had just given my daughter the parental advice / lecture about not always getting what we want and being ok with that. I was definitely not ok with how this was going down. I had waited two years for this moment. I didn't want to miss it.

We rolled back to the park ranger eight minutes later. "Sorry, the lot is still full." "Has anyone left in the last 10 minutes?" "No, I think everyone went down there for the sunset. Lots of people had cameras and big lenses" Um...yeah. I drove away one more time.

While I waited for round three, my creativity / desperation was setting in. Would I just drive past him - I mean, I'm pretty sure that was a flashlight, not a gun on his belt? Would he accept a bribe? Would I buck up and live the lesson I was trying to teach my daughter: things don't always go the way we want. As we drove up to the ranger the car right in front of us was doing a U-turn. Ugh. Just when I was going to have to decide which Scott was going to show up, I was given a reprieve. The ranger's radio lit up. "Hey, I can let in 5 more cars." Success! By the time we got to the beach it was swarming with photographers, big lenses, and tripods. I joined them like a salmon struggling upstream to the place it is compelled to go. The sun only held for about six minutes before giving way. It was enough. The struggle made it even more satisfying.

Emerge - Golden Gate Bridge

I never get tired of looking at this bridge. I've thought about that a lot. What is it that makes one thing appear beautiful in our brains to the point where we can't look away, when other things in our life float on by without earning a second glance?

We were having a team meeting near San Francisco and I convinced a couple of my colleagues/friends to get up at 5:30 am for a photography adventure. When we met in the hotel lobby, the weather was terrible - fog so thick it was a bit scary to drive. As we drove to the top of Hawk Hill on the Marin side, we gradually lifted above the fog. It was quite a spectacular moment, floating above the clouds.

Green Dragon - Northern Ireland

While shooting iconic locations is amazing, the trouble is that zillions of other photographers have already been there, done that. I love finding scenes that are new. I'm fortunate to travel for work. I've been adding on some photo adventures to those trips to spice things up. Here's one from a secret stash of waterfalls in Northern Ireland, protected by this green dragon.

Zebra - Purple Iris

When I'm not traveling, but still jonesing for a photography fix, I strap on the macro lens and see what can be found while I'm walking the dog around the block. Sometimes the most incredible things are right in front of us the whole time. (And sometimes you need a story ready for the neighbor who is wondering why you're hunched over their flower bed, pointing your big camera in the general direction of their living room window.)

The Center - Horseshoe Canyon, Page, Arizona

But it doesn't hurt to make the pilgrimage to those iconic places either. Oh yeah!

Special props to my incredible wife, who was extra-ordinarily patient with me while waiting for "just the right light" while the sand was blowing in her face. It was totally worth it. Right? :-)

If you've gotten this far and are still interested, my finest work can be found on www.scottshutephotos.com. If you find yourself interested in prints, they're available on the site. Drop me a note if you need help or are looking for something specific. I donate nearly all the profits to a local charity focused on education, so it's a win-win-win. Have a great day. Take time to notice something beautiful in your life. :-)

?Scott Shute is a customer focused executive, mindfulness leader, and enthusiastic photography nerd. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Instagram (@scottshutephotos), or on his website at www.scottshutephotos.com.