Rocks and Trees and Air


Walking through the woods with a camera is a form a meditation for me. We've all heard the phrase "it's not the destination, but the journey". Well, I believe that is especially true when it comes to photography. The worth of the final image isn't dependent on the effort expended. Two of the four following pictures were painstakingly composed over hours, and in one case multiple trips over a period of two weeks. The other two were fleeting moments as I drove or walked by.  The scene caught my eye and I decided to take a quick picture. Can you tell which is which? Probably not, but journeys to the final image made a big difference to me. 

Perhaps an even better example are the photos that aren't here. Just today I saw one of the most amazing sunrises of my life, but there is no picture of it. I wish you could have seen it, but it was just too windy, wet, and cold for me to capture it on film. But I was there, with a camera I couldn't use, to witness it nonetheless, and that sunrise will always be with me. 

John Muir said "in every walk with Nature one receives for more than he seeks". As I explore my photography, I am discovering that I am not really taking pictures of places or things, but rather moments and expressions. Sometimes the pictures come close to relaying what I experienced, sometimes not. But every picture represents a chance to walk over the rocks and in the trees and to breathe fresh air.

Scars. Lake Tahoe State Park, NV.  Mamiya RB67 ProSD. Mamiya-Sekor 90mm 3.4 C lens. Fuji Velvia 50.

Finding Suns. Spooner Lake State Park, NV. Mamiya RB67 ProSD. Mamiya-Sekor 90mm 3.4 C lens. Fuji Velvia 50




Channeling Monet. Woodfords, CA. Mamiya RB67 ProSD. Mamiya-Sekor 90mm 3.4 C lens. Fuji Velvia 50

Two Round Rocks. Lake Tahoe State Park, NV. Mamiya RB67 ProSD. Mamiya-Sekor 90mm 3.4 C lens. Fuji Velvia 50

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