The best habit to have when taking pictures is to…
Take the camera. Sounds simple I know, but I like to complicate things.
There are times when I go for a walk just for the sake of going for a walk. It has nothing to do with photography and a lot more to do with the dogs. I’ve tried to solve this problem by taking pictures of the dogs, but sometimes they are not in the mood. They know, somewhere in their doggy minds, that they are the focus, and they surely do not appreciate it. How is a dog supposed to be a dog and eat dog poop this way? Or roll in skunk scent? I ruin their good time.
Lately I am trying to be good. A walk, no matter it’s purpose, must be accompanied by a camera. I usually find nothing this way. Last Saturday, my husband was determined to go pick asparagus by the river, so I grabbed my camera and off we went.
As I followed my man, Jungle Jack, into bushels of overgrowth (why yes, Wyoming is enjoying a let-up in the drought), fought off wild rose thorns, clambered over boulders and narrowly dodged a bath in the river … something occurred to me. My camera should not be doing this. I checked to make sure my lens cap was on as I yelled at my husband over the rush of the river, “I’m going the other way!” Gasp. Groan.”Find my d*** lens cap while you’re at it!”
I know he yelled back something about my lost sense of adventure and then something, something etc…, but I was too annoyed to “What??!!” at him. Hopefully one of the things he yelled was “found it”.
In fact he did, but that’s not the point, really. I had taken no photos up to this point and the muddy river was not inspiring. I’m sure there’s some photographer out there, quaking at me like a duck to use my imagination, find the vision, record the journey, blah blah blah and that’s what this is all about etc… Which sounds like a lovely theory until you’re in the moment.
But see, here’s the trick. Take the camera. Strap it on, have it ready, like life-jacket. And forget about it. A watched pot never boils. Life is lived while you’re doing something else.
While you’re picking asparagus, turn when you hear a couple of birds having conniption fits and take the picture of the bull snake that is swiftly climbing the tree into their nest. Then throw rocks at the tree and help the mama and poppa bird harass him.
(*no snake was harmed in the tale of this photograph*)
What Would Eve Do?
The best habit to have when taking pictures is to…
Take the camera. Sounds simple I know, but I like to complicate things.
There are times when I go for a walk just for the sake of going for a walk. It has nothing to do with photography and a lot more to do with the dogs. I’ve tried to solve this problem by taking pictures of the dogs, but sometimes they are not in the mood. They know, somewhere in their doggy minds, that they are the focus, and they surely do not appreciate it. How is a dog supposed to be a dog and eat dog poop this way? Or roll in skunk scent? I ruin their good time.
Lately I am trying to be good. A walk, no matter it’s purpose, must be accompanied by a camera. I usually find nothing this way. Last Saturday, my husband was determined to go pick asparagus by the river, so I grabbed my camera and off we went.
As I followed my man, Jungle Jack, into bushels of overgrowth (why yes, Wyoming is enjoying a let-up in the drought), fought off wild rose thorns, clambered over boulders and narrowly dodged a bath in the river … something occurred to me. My camera should not be doing this. I checked to make sure my lens cap was on as I yelled at my husband over the rush of the river, “I’m going the other way!” Gasp. Groan.”Find my d*** lens cap while you’re at it!”
I know he yelled back something about my lost sense of adventure and then something, something etc…, but I was too annoyed to “What??!!” at him. Hopefully one of the things he yelled was “found it”.
In fact he did, but that’s not the point, really. I had taken no photos up to this point and the muddy river was not inspiring. I’m sure there’s some photographer out there, quaking at me like a duck to use my imagination, find the vision, record the journey, blah blah blah and that’s what this is all about etc… Which sounds like a lovely theory until you’re in the moment.
But see, here’s the trick. Take the camera. Strap it on, have it ready, like life-jacket. And forget about it. A watched pot never boils. Life is lived while you’re doing something else.
While you’re picking asparagus, turn when you hear a couple of birds having conniption fits and take the picture of the bull snake that is swiftly climbing the tree into their nest. Then throw rocks at the tree and help the mama and poppa bird harass him.
(*no snake was harmed in the tale of this photograph*)