Ancient Greek maxim: “Know thyself”

David Patnode, Owner & Photographer

One of the hardest things to do is discover & create yourself.  Because once you think you know who you are, you change.

I’m a computer geek, through & through. There’s no denying that, I’ve been that way for decades.  I don’t think that part of me will ever change – at least, I sure hope it doesn’t!

But I discovered I needed more creativity & art in my life.  I lived in Corporate IT for nearly 8 years after getting my engineering degree, and I eventually realized something was missing.  I had a good job, good coworkers, I liked the company I was at — but I needed something else.

So in 2011 I took a leap of faith, left my job, and decided to explore myself.  I focused on fitness, on meeting people, and on exploring my creative side, which led me to photography.

I love photography.  My analytical mind loves the technical details — camera specifications, light modifiers, shutter speed & aperture, histograms.  And my heart loves the art of photography — finding the right composition, the right angle, to capture an image that tells a story about a person or a place.

I’m constantly learning and improving my craft – new technical skills, developing a new eye for the art, and meeting wonderful photographers everywhere I go. People love to talk about their passions, and it is just fun to listen to people talk about things they really care about! It’s so much more meaningful than “How’s the weather today?”

But most importantly, I’ve been learning that I love to help people.  Whether it is through my photography, my technical skills, or just trying to be a good guy, helping someone solve their problem really lights me up inside.  It really makes me feel good, and a key part of my quest is doing things that make me feel good.

With all of the craziness & hatred & frustration in the world today, the one thing I can do is try to help a friend or stranger.  That’s the only real power I have, but it’s the only real power I need.