Just thought I would take a moment to post a recent shoot I did with Columbia’s own pyromaniacs, Fire and Motion and Lunatrix/Columbia hoop Troop. If you have ever tried to accurately shoot fire, then you know its about one of the toughest live event subjects to shoot. With an arsenal of about every incendiary toy possible from fire poi, fire hoops, fire fans, fire staff, fire fingers and fire breathing, this quickly became the gauntlet of on-your-toes badassery-capturing.

Here’s the end result of the blood, sweat, and scorched eyebrows:

Sometimes I forget that photography is not always just a labor of love, but also a manor of recreation. This isn’t to say I don’t enjoy myself immensely when I am shooting, but I often let myself get into the work rut of the business, and forget that it is enjoyable to take pictures for the simple joy of taking them.

The camera industry is built on consumers wanting to take pictures of moments in their life because they enjoy it and want to remember these moments, not for an end result, master work, or marginal profit. So why is it so hard sometimes for us professionals to put ourselves in that childish state of enjoyment with our craft, and simply have fun with what we’ve dedicated ourselves to, regardless of the outcome?

Last week, the lady and I spontaneously decided to head down to New Orleans for New Year’s. I took advantage of the new surroundings and eclectic atmosphere to do some street portraiture. there was no worrying about lighting, or themes, or even any form of continuity. I was merely a guy, with a camera, walking around and meeting interesting people. It just so happens that I was rather satisfied with the end results anyways, and I get the feeling that the more a photographer can let himself be a part of that moment in time, rather than a part of the outcome, the more often he or she will find himself happy with the results anyways.

Here are a few of the people I met along the way. All of them can be seen here.