18. Point of View

I had just received some devastating news before traveling to the coastal town of Brighton in the UK. When I arrived, I walked around capturing photographs, like this one. I was looking to compose images that felt small, sad, lonely, and blue. While no picture reflected how I felt, it was cathartic to try.

Canon 5DMii, 70–200mm lens, f/10

I was brand-new to mountain biking and proud of my unridden mountain bike glistening in the sun. Noticing my distracted gaze a friend said, “Hey, let’s go get that thing dirty.” And we were off to the trails. Up and up we went, climbing to the top of a peak. Elated and out of breath, we were ready to begin the descent. Halfway down the mountain we took a lesser-known trail that led to a huge drop. I looked over the edge to a practically vertical trail. Without hesitation, my friend careened his way down. After 10 minutes, I had conjured up enough courage to make the 35-foot drop. I took the plunge and was proud of my incredible feat.