The falls

 
I’ve long made a habit of avoiding ‘the falls’ here in Joplin as a backdrop for photo shoots. Mostly because it’s so overused as a location for families, seniors, and everything else, that it has become a cliche to me. It is to us in Joplin as the Eiffel tower probably is to people in Paris. ‘Oh. THAT thing. Yeah, everyone and their dog goes there.’

My avoidance of anything ‘cliche’ has actually done me in here, because it’s kept me away from something that is every bit as beautiful as it was before anyone every took a picture of it.

I’m an avid activist for originality. I DO think it’s important to find your OWN style, to change things up, to avoid using the same things (I’m talking locations, to photographers) over and over that you’ve already used too much, or maybe others in your craft have already overused.

But it’s also an interesting thought to turn that around and say- has fear of not being original also made us jaded toward things that are actually still awesome?

That song you’ve heard too many times. That movie that was too well liked by a group you thought of as un-cool (or, if you’re a rebel, TOO cool). That town you’ve lived in and looked at too often…

Yes, I’m talking to Joplin. But I’m talking to artists too, and I’m talking to everyone, everywhere. We all discount something because it feels ‘old’ to us. We even do it to people. Familiarity breeds contempt.

So don’t forget. Just because it’s OVER in terms of cool, doesn’t mean it’s not still awesome. Just something I learned myself this week and wanted to pass on. 🙂

 

my little girl, exploring the falls for the first time…