The Challenge of Being Present as a Creative

It’s somehow always a struggle for me. Between being a parent and working my normal 8-5 job, it’s hard to find the time to focus on my creative aspirations. I have so many ideas in my head, but am limited to an 8 hour day with a family I love more than anything, which I want to spend time with. Heck, I have an endless list of ideas in my head of how to portray just this simple struggle. Some involve a room full of clocks with me battling them, some involve me overburdened with ideas and my kids standing next to me trying to hug me but my arms are full of things that symbolize my ambitions. Yesterday though, I decided to just create in the most simplistic and quick fashion possible a photo that conveys what I battle each day. 

Though it’s possible guilt is what conflicts within me, I think it’s more likely that I just find pleasure in a great deal of things. My kids are certainly at the very top of the list of things that bring me joy, but they are not the only thing. These photos are meant to capture the battle many of us face every day regardless of the trade. Many times the aspirations to work harder, be more creative, etc, is so that we can provide better for our family, but sometimes the only thing that our families need is for us to be simply present. 

To me, these photos portray a snapshot in time. No cleaning of our home, just a raw representation of our home in different settings given two different choices. One shot is what would happen had I decided to spend time with my kids who are seeking it, and one is a shot of what would happen if I decided to pursue my work and creative aspirations. Perhaps the answer is trying to find more creative ways to involve both like what I did here. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no saint. My son is practically stomping on my feet begging for attention right now, and he just informed me he pooped. 

Time to go, thanks for reading and I hope you found some value in this!


© Ryan Arneson Photography
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