Avery Cranford

Dr. Habib and Professor Williams

Iceland: A Photographic Expedition

21 June 2022

Iceland Final Reflection

Though I had never been abroad before, I had always admired the way travel changes

people. Iceland was no exception. Iceland challenged every preconceived notion I had about

other cultures, but also the ones I had about myself. Before this trip, I never saw myself as

someone who would truly enjoy hiking or as someone adventurous enough to try whale and

puffin. But I loved every minute of it.

My favorite experience I had on this trip was getting to see the waterfalls. Each one

offered a new perspective and a new opportunity to get soaking wet. However, the best thing

about these waterfalls was the thing they all had in common: the constant reminder that going

with the flow creates a sense of serenity I have been missing in my life. Growing up, I fell prey

to perfectionism at a young age. As much as I loved learning and being in the classroom, my

focus always turned to trying to make the perfect score on every assignment. By the time I

graduated high school, I was so burnt out that finding the motivation to do anything I was not

sure I would be perfect at was almost impossible. This trip was different, though. Not once did I

feel like everything I was doing needed to be perfect. More importantly, I did not want it to be. I

wanted to experiment with the way I positioned my camera, and I wanted to see how my photos

changed with different shutter speeds. For the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to just

have fun and appreciate everything around me.

As I proceed through the rest of my college career and through life, the lessons I have

learned on this trip will remain at the forefront of my mind. This class has taught me that the

definition of perfection is fluid; it varies based on perception. Just as with beauty, perfection lies
in the eye of the beholder. Additionally, and just as importantly, I have learned that sometimes

the most perfect shot may be the imperfect one. And as for Iceland, our favorite tour guide Einar

said it best: I will be back.