A lady friend and I had a very nice hike up in the mountains today. It was shirt-sleeve weather at 6,500’! We just wandered around, looking at the meadows grasses, the cliffs, the river and the near-naked trees. Everything had a soft, almost silvery look: Winter is in the Sierra air. It was beautiful. I took a couple of quick-snap point&shoot digital images all day: I didn’t even take a film camera. It was nice to just be out and about without being encumbered in any real way by photography. It was quite refreshing!
You know, I need to do that more because, even though I wasn’t making shots, my eyes and heart were wide open to the good things going on around me. I wasn’t actively thinking about photography, but as I look back (in my mind’s eye) at the things I saw today, some very nice compositions come to mind. Interesting. Maybe I’ll go up there on Tuesday and shoot some film.
******
I have had this happen in the past, but today it was really strong, and I found it enlightening. Have any of you experienced something similar? I am really interested in your thoughts on this.
Be Well!
-PB
Posted by Nelcha Cross on November 6, 2006 at 1:15 AM
Absolutely.....totally......100%
I find it makes my ability to SEE that beauty and appreciate it even crisper and sharper....
and then when I have the days that I do want to drive or carry the equipment..I can do that also...
What is important is that you are there loving everything!!
The 2nd best part is that you KNOW how to make a fantastic composition....
and on some days you choose to use your energies to translate that onto film
or whatever your chosen medium is...
That's my 2 cents.....
example....
My first 2 workshops back to back in Bodie ( can't get into the buildings unless you pony up for the workshop)
The whole 1st workshops, 3 days, I didn't make one image.....
I just wanted to soak up the place and be ONE with it....
And I had to pay for those 3 days.....
Then the 2nd workshop I made as many images as time would allow,
because that was what I chose to do then.
I think of it as part of my NOT being a Human doing
but a Human BEING
Does that resonate at all with what you are feeling or trying to describe?
Posted by Daniel Buck on November 6, 2006 at 2:58 AM
I do that sometimes, go for a drive with out my camera (I drive into the mountains for the scenery, usually stopping to photograph). Of all the times I didn't bring my camera, there has only been one time that I really wished I had my camera with me. The rest of the times I was quite content to just enjoy my surroundings with out photographing them. :-)
I make it a point to never carry a camera when I am out on a hike with a "lady friend." Just can't afford to be distracted with silly stuff like photography on those special occasions.
Posted by John W. Wall on November 7, 2006 at 6:15 PM
If I can't take my camera, I'm not going.
Sometimes it seemed like the only way I could enjoy being in the outdoors was to be taking pictures. Somewhere along the line I met some folks who got me interested in animal tracking, wild edibles and so on, and into a deeper kind of nature observation that has enriched my outdoor experiences in general and rubbed off on my photography too.
It is probably very good to get the eyes and brain clear for awhile from most everything at times. Not easily done these days with all the distractions, but you have to figure it gives a good rest for maybe what could be a better photographic eye later so to speak.
Posted by Dan Baumbach on November 8, 2006 at 1:09 PM
Preston,
Forget the camera. Just go hiking with lady friends.
I go for hikes in my local watershed on most mornings and I don't take a camera with me. I just enjoy being outside and looking at things. If something grabs me, I come back with a camera or if I see a morning with some interesting weather, I think of places that I've been to that might look nice in that weather and then go to photograph them.
- Dan.
Posted by Richard Wong on November 9, 2006 at 12:29 AM
If I was hiking and shooting with a lady friend, they'd be the primary subject. Nature is beautiful, but women are something else.
Seriously though, perhaps you'd consider a dSLR or 35mm equipment? If I'm feeling in a relaxed sort of mood I'll leave the tripod in the car.
Discussion
7 repliesYou know, I need to do that more because, even though I wasn’t making shots, my eyes and heart were wide open to the good things going on around me. I wasn’t actively thinking about photography, but as I look back (in my mind’s eye) at the things I saw today, some very nice compositions come to mind. Interesting. Maybe I’ll go up there on Tuesday and shoot some film.
******
I have had this happen in the past, but today it was really strong, and I found it enlightening. Have any of you experienced something similar? I am really interested in your thoughts on this.
Be Well!
-PB
I find it makes my ability to SEE that beauty and appreciate it even crisper and sharper....
and then when I have the days that I do want to drive or carry the equipment..I can do that also...
What is important is that you are there loving everything!!
The 2nd best part is that you KNOW how to make a fantastic composition....
and on some days you choose to use your energies to translate that onto film
or whatever your chosen medium is...
That's my 2 cents.....
example....
My first 2 workshops back to back in Bodie ( can't get into the buildings unless you pony up for the workshop)
The whole 1st workshops, 3 days, I didn't make one image.....
I just wanted to soak up the place and be ONE with it....
And I had to pay for those 3 days.....
Then the 2nd workshop I made as many images as time would allow,
because that was what I chose to do then.
I think of it as part of my NOT being a Human doing
but a Human BEING
Does that resonate at all with what you are feeling or trying to describe?
I make it a point to never carry a camera when I am out on a hike with a "lady friend." Just can't afford to be distracted with silly stuff like photography on those special occasions.
Sometimes it seemed like the only way I could enjoy being in the outdoors was to be taking pictures. Somewhere along the line I met some folks who got me interested in animal tracking, wild edibles and so on, and into a deeper kind of nature observation that has enriched my outdoor experiences in general and rubbed off on my photography too.
Forget the camera. Just go hiking with lady friends.
I go for hikes in my local watershed on most mornings and I don't take a camera with me. I just enjoy being outside and looking at things. If something grabs me, I come back with a camera or if I see a morning with some interesting weather, I think of places that I've been to that might look nice in that weather and then go to photograph them.
- Dan.
Seriously though, perhaps you'd consider a dSLR or 35mm equipment? If I'm feeling in a relaxed sort of mood I'll leave the tripod in the car.