Yes, this is a “top-10” post. I’m sure you’ll find it informative.

For me the desert is a magical place, where my spirit is most at peace. I need to wander the hot solitude. Feel its dry wind on my face. Catch a glimpse of the eternal mysteries of the universe. It feeds my soul, and I need to go out into the desert every few months… To get back in touch.

I’ve had a long-running discussion with a good friend of mine about something we call “the rigor.” I believe it began back in our film school days. Simply put, the rigor means holding ourselves accountable for the integrity and quality of our work, being ruthless in our assessment of our projects, fearlessly accepting honest criticism, and checking our ego at the door.

A few years ago I shot an interview with legendary songwriter Diane Warren for a friend’s documentary project. On her reception desk a sign greeted us: “I’ll be nicer if you’ll be smarter.” Needless to say, I liked her before we had even met.

Back in my USC film school days, one of my mentors assured me I’d learn more by shooting documentaries than all the cinematographers shooting narrative films combined. Thankfully I took my mentor’s advice.

It seems to me that the act of loving creation — and I don’t mean loving in a saccharine way; it can be challenging, terrifying, ugly — is the most fundamental of human drives. I might even say it’s what defines us as a species. And when we tap into that kind of creation, we feel truly alive. Free. Weightless. Inspired.