New Year's Resolution: No More Fear!

Copyright 2011: singeronthesand photography

So do not fear, for I am with you,

Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10
 

I have been a very fearful individual for as far back as I can remember into my early childhood.  I am afraid of heights, somewhat afraid of the dark, afraid of strangers, afraid of what others think of me, afraid to make a mistake, and most of all, afraid to strive forward and just DO something, because I have such a fear of failure.  I am always so afraid that what I want to do will be deemed unworthy by others.  Nowhere is this clearer than with my photography.

I have always loved taking pictures, but have never owned a decent camera, much less a professional one.  This all changed three years ago when I treated myself to a semester of classes at a local Arts school, and bought myself a Canon 40D SLR camera, with 50mm, 28-135mm, and 70-250mm lenses.  Almost immediately, photography became an overwhelming passion.  I have no interest in portrait or studio photography, only in nature photography (and the occasional human being photos of my kids, etc.).  Animals, birds, flowers, trees, skies, landscape – these are the bread and butter of what I love to shoot.  Today, my trusty camera and I are taking a short jaunt to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens for a few hours of photographic joy.  I can hardly wait!

A year ago, the idea came to me of building a storefront for my photographs on the Etsy online crafts market.  I joined the site, chose a name [SingerontheSand Fine Arts Photography], and built the shell of my store at www.singeronthesand.etsy.com. A year later, there has been no progress at all.  I have not put up any photographs for sale, or developed the site beyond what I initially posted.  Why?  Ah – good question.  It is definitely not because I don’t have pictures to post.  No, it is because I am afraid:  afraid that I will not do things right, afraid that customers will not like my photographs, afraid that if I do sell one that the customer won’t like it when they receive it.  In other words, I am afraid that I am not good enough and/or that I will do something wrong. So I stall, and stall, and stall.

God has gently nudged me in the last few months.  A friend gave me a stack of various colors and sizes of matting left over from her deceased husband’s camera collection.  Last week, another friend told me about a gallery display in a local nursing home where I might want to place/sell my pictures.  Yesterday I made the decision:  2012 will be the Year of the Photograph, the year when I take God at His promise to deal with my fears, relying on His strength and wisdom to help me move forward.  Is there something in your life that you are afraid of doing?  Join me in claiming God’s promise given through Isaiah: Don’t fear; move forward, for I am here to help and sustain you.