Soaring
Katelyn R.
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While watching a motorbiker performing outrageously risky stunts at my local county fair, I shot this photo on an iPhone 10. I was awed at how the man, unflinchingly launching himself and his motorcycle 30-some feet into the air, performing all manners of tricks, was unphased by the danger. Did he have that pit in his stomach? While we, as spectators, stared on, unable to tear our eyes away from him, he very much appeared to be soaring, free in his own way. But, I wondered, when he contorted to be upside down, staring straight at the hard ground below, how could he feel anything but like he was falling? I saw the worst-case scenarios in my mind’s eye. But as I watched him soar into the air time and time again, landing each time eager for more, I considered his bone-deep self-faith and trust in himself - his courage. It was admirable; he had the guts. It inspired me to find that sort of bravery in myself: yes, maybe he did feel like he was falling, but he reframed the moment to feel like he was soaring. After all, courage is a state of mind. I pushed the colors to a saturated point to mirror the biker’s boldness. The shot places the subject in the center of the frame before an uninteresting background, forcing the viewer to look only at the biker and consider the inherent risk, and evident courage, showcased in his position.
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Creativity is taking risks. It's having the courage to make a bold statement. It's pouring everything you are and want to be into something to express how you see the world while understanding the beauty of art stems from the lens through which others will understand your work.
