Ben Krueger, @b.kru, also a graduating photographer from Savannah College of Art and Design (‘21), is moving back to his roots in New Jersey to continue building his film photography development lab, Gelatin Labs (@gelatinlabs). Krueger dives into what joy means to him and how the pandemic has influenced his sense of gratitude and joy as his college years come to an end.
Coming out of a year and a half of a pandemic while in college, what’s been your biggest growth as a young twenty-something?
Understanding that things take time and that I can only control so much in my life has been a huge element of growth coming out of the pandemic. Not only do my anxieties leave me when I put less pressure on myself, but I can be more focused and driven to tackle things that I have full domain over.
Has the pandemic shifted your priorities? If so, what has changed?
My priorities have become less geared towards big life decisions and more towards the day to day. Don’t get me wrong, I still plan ahead and have goals, but there is no sense in getting caught up in an uncertain, ever changing future. Things will materialize if they are meant to be.
I think we can all feel a lot of gratitude for where we are right now even though our college experience has been like no other. How are you finding gratitude in our time and place?
As someone who works in visual mediums, I am always appreciative of the tiny moments life serves us throughout the day, microcosms of beauty that I am lucky enough to be able to capture with my camera. Living in the now is what photography is all about, which helps me to be more grateful for today, opposed to worrying about tomorrow.
How do you define joy?
Joy is the state of having little to no worries in a particular moment. Cut out the riff raff and joy is a simple, easily accessible way of being. We are so bombarded with stimuli throughout the day that makes it harder to find joy. Take away the needless distractions, find balance, and joy will come around.
What are the moments of joy in your life right now?
Moments of joy are morning light, a cup of coffee, a refreshing beer, loading a roll of film into my camera, hanging out with good friends, and going for a walk to clear my head.