A Photo-Motivational Kick

"You enjoy making photographs, don't you? You're a photographer, right? Just hit the road and start shooting." Cindy had to give me a photo-motivational kick in the pants this morning (hey, it happens). I headed north to a place I had heard of, but never visited — Princess Place Preserve in Flagler County.

What I discovered on the property was a 19th-century estate / lodge and Florida's first in-ground swimming pool. The artesian-fed concrete structure was a welcome respite from the 90+ degree summer days.

The lodge was an interesting piece of architecture that utilized cedar and palm tree trunks as columns on the front and back porches with tall windows situated to provide cross-ventilation back in the day. The interior was closed and appears only to be open for tours on certain days.

I spent time photographing various compositions of the porch details and wide-angle views of all the structures. Princess Place is a conservation area providing hiking trails (equestrian, too) and numerous photography opportunities.

My curiosity led my to this place and, though I didn't realize it at first, relieved the stress and lack of motivation I was experiencing in the morning. I was agonizing over problems and the minutiae of issues that I could not resolve. Having a sense of curiosity provided an attitude adjustment and is a good habit to develop to gain new perspectives and possibilities and to just relax.