I have no idea when it started but I know that it still remains, this idea of just one more picture, one more press of the trigger and boom, my name will be in the lights like thousands of others who are on this photographic journey of sorts.

My desire to capture moments comes from a time long ago when my parents used disposable film cameras and friends with money used Polariod joints (and by joints I do mean cameras not the weed filled spliffs and by spliffs I mean let me stop before someone lets my parents know I know the difference in terminology). Those times are twenty, twenty five, thirty, thirty five, forty, or even forty three years removed from where we are today.

It bothers me that there are entire moments of time forever lost because someone decided that they just didn't care enough to stop and press the trigger. Well, IF I'm to be fair, I have a mother who worked her ass off to provide for our family so her time was typically accounted for to say the least.

Now, with all of this being stated, I can remember that I've always been the one within the family who has attempted to snap memories, snap moments, which others might not have thought worthwhile. My friends can probably attest to this as well being that they're the ones who for years have either pushed me, in a good way, or made fun of me that all I ever do is take pictures.

A picture is a story and it's the photographer and viewer who can make said story whatever they choose for it to be when all is said and done.

Over the course of the last thirteen years, I've visited Yosemite National Park less than ten times and two out of the last three times, I've sat passenger while my buddy Ryan maneuvers up the mountainous road. It's "funny" to think that I'm the guy who gets car sick from time to time yet I'm also the same guy that's like, "Yeah, I'll roll, let's make it happen..."

Well, we made it happen, our quest to find stars within the night sky began on top of Glacier Point which stares directly out to Half Dome. I've never been inside the park at dusk, let alone in the middle of the night so I was pretty excited to see what we could uncover with our Sony Alpha cameras and trusty tripods (mine though more expensive than his isn't trusty at all, damn peg-leg).

For a balmy Monday evening we found the parking lot filled with cars and people spread out in areas we would have otherwise setup to shoot in peace, whilst on the mountain, shoot, there was even a guy flying a drone inside of the park, no clue how he had reception but whatevs, do it for the gram. In our typical fashion Ryan and me looked at each other and said, "You wanna go to the other side..." the other side being a walk and then climb to a spot which many do not take advantage of it seems.

During our walk, I noticed that the sun was casting a certain type of light which made the evening sky feel a certain way and I couldn't help but pause in order to take it all in and reflect on the beauty that was around me. It's interesting isn't it, the things which make us pause and reflect?

When I'd looked up, I noticed that Ryan had made his way in front of me and was aligned with Half Dome almost perfectly. I suppose this was my one shot at being creative but then again, maybe I'd be granted others throughout the course of the night.

For me, most moments allow for some form of reflection and within those moments I find myself at peace; I hope those of you reading can find peace within your moments of reflection as well, whatever those moments might be.