Columbus, Mississippi

One of the challenges of photographing a small town like Columbus or Northport is that there’s no defineable city skyline. Storefronts are colorful but non-descript, similar to those found all over the South. Much like a novel, where an environmental aspect can become a main character, the light must become the subject. More often than not, that means getting up before daylight and waiting for the light to shift.

When I was younger, I rarely had the patience for such nonsense. The older I get though, the more I find pleasure in waiting the light. How much more intense the anticipation, how much greater the satisfaction?

Cities like Boston are easy. Whatever you want is a fingertouch away, 24 hours a day. It’s easy to get bored. Blase. Every corner features some architecturally stunning, visually exciting moment. But in Columbus, you have to work the scene hard to find what you want.

Was this what I wanted? Maybe only a shadow of what I hoped for. But if you’ve put your mind, body, and soul into it, you don’t have to feel the pang of disappointment. You take what you can get, walk away and call it a wrap. It’s a valuable lesson.

Music: Sweet Sacrifice by Evanescence (lyrics)