Through Griffin's Lens

06/03/2026

Success often hides the hard work behind it. Great photography takes preparation, practice, patience, and attention to detail long before the shutter clicks. A spring break trip to Helen, Georgia reflected that process, blending creativity, experience, and the joy of capturing meaningful moments.

Great photos take time to get right.

06/03/2026

Traveling for Coffee

I have a lot of things that I must do while I travel. Anytime we are on a cruise, I have to get at least one photo of the sunrise. It depends on how often I wake up early while on vacation. This might surprise, but I still wake up early while I travel. Another thing that I always do is seek out unique dining opportunities. My goal is to eat at restaurants that are not local to where I live. I try to avoid chains, but there are some chains that are not local to me that are pretty good. The main thing that I do while I travel is try different coffee shops. During our last trip to Georgia, we stopped at a different coffee shop each day we traveled. We avoided Starbucks and only hit the local shops in the area. We did the same thing when we took our trip to Alaska last year. That was some of the best coffee I had ever tasted. Even though I know coffee doesn't grow anywhere close to there, it was still some of the best I had.

One stop on our trip that also had great coffee was Victoria, Canada. Victoria is a beautiful place. We visited there while they were having some kind of music festival. The city was packed. We took a cab that was on a bicycle to get us to the main city from the port. We walked over ten miles that day. The best stop that we had was when we stopped for coffee at the in downtown Victoria. I usually don't get lattes and just stick with a good iced coffee with light cream. The barista convinced me to try a drink called the Stove Top. That drink was delicious. This was a great coffee shop with awesome vibes, and next time I am in Victoria, I am going to head back there.

I wanted my photos to have that classic look, so I used a lens I purchased from . I love this lens because it is lightweight. This makes it perfect to bring with me while on a walk. I also love that it is made from recycled disposable camera lenses. The lens gives the look of the shots being captured with a film camera.

06/02/2026

Photography turns every trip into an adventure, where even a short walk can become a chance to capture something memorable. Beautiful places make it hard to rush, especially when every step offers another great view. Anna Ruby Falls was one of those places, filled with scenery worth slowing down for.

There are just some places that I really can’t help myself with because our surroundings are beautiful.

06/02/2026

Stress Is Not a Function

I am an elementary school teacher. For those who know what teachers truly do, they would say it is a stressful job. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of moments that drive me crazy, but overall I love my job. The problem with stress is many of us have the misconception that it is a function of our job. Some say that if you don't get stressed then you are not doing the job correctly. I have been called out by coworkers before for not being stressed about a situation. What we don't realize about stress is that stress is an emotional response. In other words, stress is one way that we can respond to a situation. Sometimes we can't help it, but we have to choose to try and focus for our stress to not control us. When we make decisions under stress, they are often not the best. I can't avoid stressful situations at work, but what I can do is make sure my brain is not operating under stress all the time.

One way I give my brain a break from stress is to travel. I love traveling to new places and to places I have been before. One place we went to that wasn't stressful this year was the Masters. The Masters is one of the four major golf tournaments that happens each year. We were able to enjoy the first day of the practice rounds. We enjoyed a full day at the course taking it all in. We saw a few famous golfers, ate the famous Masters food, and walked just about the entire course. The food there is well-known Southern staples, from pimento cheese sandwiches to peach ice cream. I must have eaten four sandwiches while I was there. Since it was the practice round, I was able to bring my camera and take photos. You cannot bring your cell phone into the Masters. They are strict about that. If you get caught with your phone, you can never buy tickets again. They do not like any distractions on the course. There are phones that you can use to call people while you are there. Just hope you remember the number because you won't have your cell phone on you. Here are a few that I captured that day. From the food to the course, it was great.

06/01/2026

As the school year nears its end, hard work and persistence begin to show results. Reaching goals takes time, patience, and steady focus, both for teachers and students. A spring break trip to Northeast Georgia reflected that same idea—revisiting meaningful places while creating new memories through photography and family experiences.

When it comes to our goals, the end might seem far away, but that doesn’t mean we don’t go for it.

06/01/2026

Remember Spring

I always encourage my students to do the right thing, but that isn't enough. It's one thing to do the right thing, but it is just as important to do it the right way. One of the things all teachers encourage their students to do is to apologize when they make a mistake. Saying sorry is only the beginning; they have to mean it when they say it. How we do the right thing reflects on who we truly are as people. We have to do the right thing with the right attitude. People know when we are doing something with a bad attitude. The right attitude goes a long way in doing the right thing.

Yesterday marked the last day of spring, according to a meteorologist. Meteorologists define their seasons based on three-month sets during the year. Meteorological spring is during the months of March, April, and May. Since yesterday was the last day of spring, I thought I would post some shots from last spring. One of my favorite things is to walk around my neighborhood in the evenings with my camera. Here are a few shots I captured of the trees blooming while I was out on a walk.

05/31/2026

Perfection rarely happens on the first try, whether in teaching or photography. Mistakes and imperfect attempts are part of learning and improving. Taking multiple shots—and multiple chances—helps create success. A visit to the Masters captured that mindset, where patience and persistence led to memorable photos and experiences.

That’s why when I visit places or take photos of others, I usually take more than one. That way, hopefully, at least one of them turns out good.

05/30/2026

Weather can shape a trip, but attitude often matters even more. From rough seas in Alaska to rainy days in Nassau, unexpected conditions became part of the adventure instead of ruining it. Sometimes difficult weather even creates unique moments and unforgettable photos along the way.

Our attitude is what determines how it goes more than the weather.

05/30/2026

Just Say Thank You

Why is it so hard to show people appreciation? Why are we so hesitant to thank people for showing us kindness or doing something nice for us? Showing gratitude is more than saying thank you. It is when you see that same person going through something similar that you jump in and help them. It is making sure they understand how much you appreciate them for what they did or continue to do. Having gratitude means acknowledging someone for what they did to help you be a better person. Take a moment today, and find someone who has supported you in life, and show a little gratitude.

We took a trip to Orlando with my mom for winter break. One of the things she has always wanted to do was to hang out with the flamingos. We found a place in Orlando called Discovery Cove that let us do just that. We spent time walking with them on parade, we sat with them, we fed them, and we enjoyed their company. Overall, it was a great experience. The weather couldn't have been better for December. It was one of the warmest weeks in December. I spent the entire week in shorts, and we had a great time. Here are a few of the photos I captured with my camera right before we spent time with the flamingos.

05/29/2026

Change often feels distant until it suddenly arrives, reminding us to stay prepared and adaptable. Just like Charlotte’s unexpected heavy snowfall, life can shift quickly. Embracing those moments—like capturing scenes during a rare winter storm—helps us appreciate change as it happens.

Change might feel like it will never come, but then it comes all of a sudden.