Over the summer, I was lucky enough to go on a retreat as the group photographer. In exchange for capturing the essence of the days doing yoga, hiking and adventuring in Telluride, CO, I got to participate in all the activities and have lodging. I had a clear shot list given to me in advance and just the right amount of directions so that I knew what was expected of me while still allowing for creative license.

I had plenty of material to work with. The days were packed minute to minute with a wide variety of activities and there were plenty of people on the retreat to capture and include in images.

But even with all the leniency, I still felt the urge to take shots solely for myself. As we hiked the Via Ferrata, the majestic views enticed me. The tiny flowers kept catching my eye. I knew I was supposed to be focused on the people, but I couldn’t help but stop and catalog what I was seeing. Especially since I didn’t think the others were noticing.

As I raced from one vantage point to another to capture unique views of the events, I was stopped in my tracks by the view mixed with the reflection of the venue.

At dinner, I excused myself because I couldn’t resist the pull of the color in the sky beckoning me back outside.

I realized that even though I was there to do a job, I could still be true to my nature. I have hundreds of shots of the retreat and the smiling people and the moments that mattered to them. But I also came away with a handful of shots just for myself.

Here’s hoping you get the opportunity to shoot just for you. For myself – Angie