SAN DIEGO — A San Diego photographer thanks a chance encounter with a pelican for changing his life.
In this Zevely Zone, I met the creator of Light and Magic Art.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and sometimes it can change an entire life.
The work of photographer Travis Griffith is filled with joy.
"The Northern lights in Joshua tree. This might have been the best photography night of my life," said Travis.
But look closely, and you'll also see pain in his pictures.
"I am not the only person in life to go through hard times," said Travis who told me his photography started from a very sad place.
"It did, I was going through a divorce, a really hard one," said Travis. "I was looking for something to feel better."
Travis hoped that taking pictures of sunsets and sunrises would put some beauty back into his life.
"This is why you get out of bed in the morning," said Travis. "This is a moonset over the Oceanside pier."
For a long time, Travis posted pictures with no response.
"It's hard to be so vulnerable like that to put yourself out there and just share with the world," said Travis.
Until one morning, when he picked up his camera and snapped a picture. "This is a pelican, the back of a pelican," said Travis. "You can't even see his face or his beak."
The bird was watching the sunrise and appeared to be contemplating life. "I was so taken by this scene because I call this picture pondering life," said Travis.
Travis suddenly thought if flowers could bloom in the desert, he could too.
"It's like how does life survive here?" said Travis.
Another picture shows the Oceanside Pier surviving fire.
"I love the symbol of resilience here," said Travis. He thought maybe his hobby could become a career. Suddenly he started winning awards and people were paying for his prints. "I don't want to use the word, well maybe I should use the word life-changing because I think I can do this, I can do this," said Travis. He created a website and launched a YouTube Channel to showcase his company Light and Magic Art.
"If my work could be boiled down to a sentence of a word I would just have to say it's love, love yourself," said Travis who was emotional throughout our interview. "I am, because I think about how far I've come," said Travis who realized something profound. "All of these messages of hope and inspiration it was for me," said Travis. "It's a beautiful thing, I mean life can be just so dang beautiful."
Travis wants you to know you're never alone or forgotten. "Sometimes the thing you are afraid of most is the thing you have to do next," said Travis. The sun always rises and a new friend is always waiting; like that pelican. "Absolutely, absolutely," said Travis. The pelican took off and with it, the spirits of Travis Griffith who still gazes upon his framed friend in his home studio. "Every day, he sits right behind me, so this little guy sits right behind me," said Travis. "It's just my inspiration."
Travis only sells ten prints of every picture he takes. To learn more about his artwork, click here.