Creating out of guilt drains the joy from art. A pause is not failure, it’s how we refuel.

I began by capturing people I knew. Now I find myself chasing moments that belong to no one—sunlight on leaves, waves folding into sand, the kind of beauty that doesn’t need approval.

When inspiration strikes, I try to ride the wave for as long as it lasts. Flow doesn’t come often, and when it does, it’s a gift. Over time, I’ve learned that staying in motion helps me get through ruts faster and keeps my creative energy alive. Patience plays its part too — in waiting for the moment, in trusting the process, and in letting ideas breathe before they take shape. When flowing, keep going.

I used to think better gear made better photos. Now I know the magic isn’t in the camera — it’s in the moment. Photography is about seeing, feeling, and capturing something essential, no matter what’s in your hands. The gear is just a tool. The vision is what matters.

Creating isn’t something I’m obliged to do — it’s something I get to do. Mark Twain’s reminder that “work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do” captures exactly why I keep making things. This isn’t about algorithms, metrics, or chasing numbers. It’s about joy, expression, and the courage to share what I see. I want to keep creating as play — not as obligation.

Starting is the hardest part of creating. Ideas feel endless in your head but impossible to translate. I’ve learned that progress begins not with certainty, but with movement — by putting cursor to pixels, pressing the shutter, or typing the first stray thought. The curve is long, but it bends toward clarity.

I was skeptical of AI at first — I still am, in some ways — but it’s become a quiet collaborator in my creative process. What once would’ve taken me months now happens in weeks. From planning shoots to editing, designing, animating, and shaping words, AI doesn’t replace my creativity; it removes friction and gives me space to focus on the story I want to tell.

After years of moving fast, chasing certainty, and clinging to routines, I realized I’d lost touch with the part of me that loved to make things. So I hit reset — returning to my camera, my curiosity, and the creative identity I once built: MKT Studios. This blog is my way of sharing that journey, one story and one set at a time.