Travel, taking time to make images, and living life.
Many of us dream of making that big coast to coast tour of the country photographing our way from one end to the other. I recently took my second nearly coast to coast drive but like many of you it was not for pleasure and I had little time to stop and smell the roses let alone take pictures, however...
If your like me getting out the camera can sometimes be a major decision; do I get out the good one and put on a lens, will I be able to restrain myself from taking pictures for hours, will my family or companions put up with another stop to take pictures after I just stopped 10 minutes back to grab a few shots, should I wait for a better shot around the next bend or worse turn back to get a shot of that perfect scene I just passed while cruising down the Interstate?
Taking a vacation or business trip can be completely different from taking a trip specifically for your photography addiction. As photographers we all know when the best light is, those prime early hours and late afternoons, and sunset through twilight. But when traveling with others we often don't have the freedom to stop for photography during those peek shooting hours. With family and friends they expect to sleep in on vacations, have breakfast, linger by the pool. They want to play during the late morning and then relax at night over a long meal. Or when traveling for business you have to actually go to that sales meeting, conference, or see the client. Perhaps you are with coworkers every moment of the day and getting free to pursue photography even as a working pro can be a challenge. Many of us do our best to deal with the overwhelming desire to get out and shoot with balancing the need to do our jobs or be with family but it's always a compromise.
Getting away to take a photography trip is a huge challenge for me and one of the things that sets pro's apart from weekend point and clickers. My family always comes first and there is always something they need, or we are doing, there is never enough free time. What little free time I do have I want to spend with my wife and kids. I for one feel guilty just thinking about taking off for a few days to do a photography trip or class. Yet perhaps that is exactly what we should do in the best interests of our family life.
How can that be? Setting aside the obvious frustration we go through when the yearning to go comes over us like a craving for some favorite food that cannot be satisfied we all have to balance what we want to do with what we must do. But considering how hard it is for others to understand (just snap the picture and lets get going I can hear from the background) are we doing anyone a favor making them put up with our interests wether or not it's a hobby or a profession? It may be argued that it would be less frustrating on them for us to go alone, get whatever we are working on done and then dedicate our time with family, coworkers, and friends entirely to them. But if your life is anything like mine that is impossible we live in a multi-tasking world and everything overlaps everything else. For most it's a compromise at best, as for me I have to try and balance both my desire to be creative and practice, learn or earn with my passion for my wife, kids, church and other diverging interests. I have a very understanding and patient wife, when she goes with me she is often encouraging me to take the time to make images knowing full well that once I start it's hard for me to stop and I loose all track of time and obligations. She sometimes comes as my assistant reminding me to rest, drink water, or catch a moment that I may have missed from the narrow world of the view finder. That does not negate the fact that I can feel guilty knowing she has to give up something to be with me, or my have other things to do, places to go, so I often find myself ignoring the urge and call to be responsible.
Oddly, none of this is why I started this topic. As I said at the beginning I recently made a trip across the US that was not for pleasure and I was on a time table where I needed to be on the other end of the country on a certain day. Driving across the US has many benefits from observing cultural and regional differences to seeing the changes in geography as you go. Luckily on the trip most of my time was spent on US 40 which for those who don't know parallels much of US Route 66. This is (in my not so humble opinion) is one of the top three road trips for a photographer to take during your lifetime in America anyway (or for any tourist for that matter).
I won't go on an on about 66 and the history, there are plenty of sites, books, and documentaries that discuss that at length. However for getting to know out great nation from many perspectives from high brow culture and the latest trends in shopping, architecture, and life styles to the retro cool, the forgotten, and everything in between you just can't beat a trip that focuses on Route 66. There are so many worthy subjects that you could spend years trying to experience and capture it and some professional photographers have done just that.
Despite my deadlines I did let myself cut over to Route 66 as often as I could without delaying my trip. As I was traveling alone I had the freedom to drive and stop at my own pace without causing anyone else grief every time I saw something I wanted to photograph. At the same time I had to make many compromises, skipping places I would have liked to explore or photograph because of timing, the wrong time of day to shoot (for me at least), or just because I needed to stay on schedule.
I keep telling myself there will be other chances to come back, that someday I'll have the time but will everything be the same? No. Will things change, get paved over, replanted, developed or decay? Yes, Will I even ever come back at all? Who can say.
So it's a constant internal battle of will and responsibility over knowing that you may not come this way again, And that everything does change. On top of that you will not be the same person as you are right now. Our views, perspectives and moods change over time and that effects the way we view, experience, and photograph the world we see.
I made the best compromises I could, knowing I missed much and I honestly have no idea if life will allow me to come back and do it right in the future.
So ask yourself this before and during your next trip. What will I be giving up to stop and take pictures, can I do it fast or must I take the time to do it right? 10 or 50 years from now will I care how fast I made it to the meeting, client, vendor, or Grandma's house? Will I be able to take pleasure from slowing down, making images, capturing memories and sharing them with others? Will my skills improve, will I be able to sell, enter contests, or improve my portfolio and perhaps even write off the trip if I take the time to photograph it right?
Will my family forgive me for disrupting their vacation for me to indulge in my passion? How about coworkers, or the boss?
I think the answer to this is not only a yes but because you may force the travel to stop for your photography at the same time you are providing an opportunity for those with you to see more than the fast food joints and the dividing lines on the road. They too will learn about where you're going, meet people, hear local legends, see cultures perhaps very different from your own, experience history, and really get to know something out side of their normal world. While stopped the iPods, DVD players, and laptops are off and people may actually talk to each other too.
Experience the adventure, let the journey be as important as the destination. Life is not about how it starts and ends, the stuff that really matters is what we do with all the time in between. For those with a passion, interest, or career in photography what we do to make time to photograph can also open up opportunities for those around us to experience more of life with us, not just blow through it. And with them we can all become closer as well as have a greater understanding of our world.
I used to enjoy hiking as a teen, and had a group of friends mostly from my church who went as a large group as often as we could. We mostly explored the mountains of Southern and Central California. Some of those friends were long distance runners and always focused on getting to the next camp ground and setting up before anyone else. They were often so focused on getting to the destination that they missed everything worth seeing along the way. And as a side note, it was the speed demons who also got lost the and hurt the most too.
When I'd pull into camp often as one of the last people I'd be excited to discuss the day, my running friends all bruised and blistered would often be found lying around trying to recover and I'd ask about the things they saw and did. I would see wild life, rock formations, meadows, flowers, fish, bears, all sorts of birds and the unexpected beauty of nature. I would find old minds, bridges, meet fellow hikers, grave markers and more. They more often than not did not see any of it, they saw dirt, switchbacks, and trail forks. Eventually they gave up hiking for other pursuits and for many of them they live life the same way they hiked, narrowly focused on achievement while ignoring the world and people that lived life without them.
We have all heard and made the excuses, I'll spend more time with the kids after this next big project at work, I'l take time to be with my wife after tax season, I'll get out and see the points of interest where I live once work settles down. But for some it never happens they worry get caught up in minutia without noticing life, taking real time with family and friends, always too busy for the here and now while working toward goals, possessions, and career pursuits.
I wonder in the end will they look back and remember the projects that got finished, the jobs and titles they earned the wealth they accumulated? Or will they have relationships with children and families, memories of time spent together, or wisdom and peace of seeing and being apart of the world around them. Perhaps they instead will have the satisfaction of accomplishment and achievement to keep them company in they're old age, titles, and clients, and meetings to care for them in the declining years... or maybe not.
There is nothing wrong with being a good provider, working toward goals, and getting the job done right and these ideals should be applied to all we do. However for me at least the journey is far more important than the waypoints. The destination only has value if its build upon positive experiences, learning, and understanding and the companionship of friends and loved ones gained along the way. I don't want to look back on an empty life filled with jobs, duties, chores, lists, reports, to-do lists and the like. For me I want to look back on a life filled with family, love, music, learning, wisdom, laughter, peace, service, and in touch with the world around me, understanding all the amazing things God has created around us, memories, and yes pictures to remember it by.
Stop and enjoy life's journey, as a photographer make time to capture it as one of the things in life that bring us satisfaction, joy and passion. Make the time to be creative, not just snapping pictures, think about and interpret life and the world around you make photographs don't take pictures. Share the journey with others and live life in the moment not for the future so that you create a future worth living. The future will take care of itself, life is what happens right now and who you someday will be is based wholly on what you do and the choices you make right now. Take the time to make life worthwhile, make the music, write, talk, listen, feel, learn, and love those most important to you, do it right now.
Sorry for all the cliché's!
If your like me getting out the camera can sometimes be a major decision; do I get out the good one and put on a lens, will I be able to restrain myself from taking pictures for hours, will my family or companions put up with another stop to take pictures after I just stopped 10 minutes back to grab a few shots, should I wait for a better shot around the next bend or worse turn back to get a shot of that perfect scene I just passed while cruising down the Interstate?
Taking a vacation or business trip can be completely different from taking a trip specifically for your photography addiction. As photographers we all know when the best light is, those prime early hours and late afternoons, and sunset through twilight. But when traveling with others we often don't have the freedom to stop for photography during those peek shooting hours. With family and friends they expect to sleep in on vacations, have breakfast, linger by the pool. They want to play during the late morning and then relax at night over a long meal. Or when traveling for business you have to actually go to that sales meeting, conference, or see the client. Perhaps you are with coworkers every moment of the day and getting free to pursue photography even as a working pro can be a challenge. Many of us do our best to deal with the overwhelming desire to get out and shoot with balancing the need to do our jobs or be with family but it's always a compromise.
Getting away to take a photography trip is a huge challenge for me and one of the things that sets pro's apart from weekend point and clickers. My family always comes first and there is always something they need, or we are doing, there is never enough free time. What little free time I do have I want to spend with my wife and kids. I for one feel guilty just thinking about taking off for a few days to do a photography trip or class. Yet perhaps that is exactly what we should do in the best interests of our family life.
How can that be? Setting aside the obvious frustration we go through when the yearning to go comes over us like a craving for some favorite food that cannot be satisfied we all have to balance what we want to do with what we must do. But considering how hard it is for others to understand (just snap the picture and lets get going I can hear from the background) are we doing anyone a favor making them put up with our interests wether or not it's a hobby or a profession? It may be argued that it would be less frustrating on them for us to go alone, get whatever we are working on done and then dedicate our time with family, coworkers, and friends entirely to them. But if your life is anything like mine that is impossible we live in a multi-tasking world and everything overlaps everything else. For most it's a compromise at best, as for me I have to try and balance both my desire to be creative and practice, learn or earn with my passion for my wife, kids, church and other diverging interests. I have a very understanding and patient wife, when she goes with me she is often encouraging me to take the time to make images knowing full well that once I start it's hard for me to stop and I loose all track of time and obligations. She sometimes comes as my assistant reminding me to rest, drink water, or catch a moment that I may have missed from the narrow world of the view finder. That does not negate the fact that I can feel guilty knowing she has to give up something to be with me, or my have other things to do, places to go, so I often find myself ignoring the urge and call to be responsible.
Oddly, none of this is why I started this topic. As I said at the beginning I recently made a trip across the US that was not for pleasure and I was on a time table where I needed to be on the other end of the country on a certain day. Driving across the US has many benefits from observing cultural and regional differences to seeing the changes in geography as you go. Luckily on the trip most of my time was spent on US 40 which for those who don't know parallels much of US Route 66. This is (in my not so humble opinion) is one of the top three road trips for a photographer to take during your lifetime in America anyway (or for any tourist for that matter).
I won't go on an on about 66 and the history, there are plenty of sites, books, and documentaries that discuss that at length. However for getting to know out great nation from many perspectives from high brow culture and the latest trends in shopping, architecture, and life styles to the retro cool, the forgotten, and everything in between you just can't beat a trip that focuses on Route 66. There are so many worthy subjects that you could spend years trying to experience and capture it and some professional photographers have done just that.
Despite my deadlines I did let myself cut over to Route 66 as often as I could without delaying my trip. As I was traveling alone I had the freedom to drive and stop at my own pace without causing anyone else grief every time I saw something I wanted to photograph. At the same time I had to make many compromises, skipping places I would have liked to explore or photograph because of timing, the wrong time of day to shoot (for me at least), or just because I needed to stay on schedule.
I keep telling myself there will be other chances to come back, that someday I'll have the time but will everything be the same? No. Will things change, get paved over, replanted, developed or decay? Yes, Will I even ever come back at all? Who can say.
So it's a constant internal battle of will and responsibility over knowing that you may not come this way again, And that everything does change. On top of that you will not be the same person as you are right now. Our views, perspectives and moods change over time and that effects the way we view, experience, and photograph the world we see.
I made the best compromises I could, knowing I missed much and I honestly have no idea if life will allow me to come back and do it right in the future.
So ask yourself this before and during your next trip. What will I be giving up to stop and take pictures, can I do it fast or must I take the time to do it right? 10 or 50 years from now will I care how fast I made it to the meeting, client, vendor, or Grandma's house? Will I be able to take pleasure from slowing down, making images, capturing memories and sharing them with others? Will my skills improve, will I be able to sell, enter contests, or improve my portfolio and perhaps even write off the trip if I take the time to photograph it right?
Will my family forgive me for disrupting their vacation for me to indulge in my passion? How about coworkers, or the boss?
I think the answer to this is not only a yes but because you may force the travel to stop for your photography at the same time you are providing an opportunity for those with you to see more than the fast food joints and the dividing lines on the road. They too will learn about where you're going, meet people, hear local legends, see cultures perhaps very different from your own, experience history, and really get to know something out side of their normal world. While stopped the iPods, DVD players, and laptops are off and people may actually talk to each other too.
Experience the adventure, let the journey be as important as the destination. Life is not about how it starts and ends, the stuff that really matters is what we do with all the time in between. For those with a passion, interest, or career in photography what we do to make time to photograph can also open up opportunities for those around us to experience more of life with us, not just blow through it. And with them we can all become closer as well as have a greater understanding of our world.
I used to enjoy hiking as a teen, and had a group of friends mostly from my church who went as a large group as often as we could. We mostly explored the mountains of Southern and Central California. Some of those friends were long distance runners and always focused on getting to the next camp ground and setting up before anyone else. They were often so focused on getting to the destination that they missed everything worth seeing along the way. And as a side note, it was the speed demons who also got lost the and hurt the most too.
When I'd pull into camp often as one of the last people I'd be excited to discuss the day, my running friends all bruised and blistered would often be found lying around trying to recover and I'd ask about the things they saw and did. I would see wild life, rock formations, meadows, flowers, fish, bears, all sorts of birds and the unexpected beauty of nature. I would find old minds, bridges, meet fellow hikers, grave markers and more. They more often than not did not see any of it, they saw dirt, switchbacks, and trail forks. Eventually they gave up hiking for other pursuits and for many of them they live life the same way they hiked, narrowly focused on achievement while ignoring the world and people that lived life without them.
We have all heard and made the excuses, I'll spend more time with the kids after this next big project at work, I'l take time to be with my wife after tax season, I'll get out and see the points of interest where I live once work settles down. But for some it never happens they worry get caught up in minutia without noticing life, taking real time with family and friends, always too busy for the here and now while working toward goals, possessions, and career pursuits.
I wonder in the end will they look back and remember the projects that got finished, the jobs and titles they earned the wealth they accumulated? Or will they have relationships with children and families, memories of time spent together, or wisdom and peace of seeing and being apart of the world around them. Perhaps they instead will have the satisfaction of accomplishment and achievement to keep them company in they're old age, titles, and clients, and meetings to care for them in the declining years... or maybe not.
There is nothing wrong with being a good provider, working toward goals, and getting the job done right and these ideals should be applied to all we do. However for me at least the journey is far more important than the waypoints. The destination only has value if its build upon positive experiences, learning, and understanding and the companionship of friends and loved ones gained along the way. I don't want to look back on an empty life filled with jobs, duties, chores, lists, reports, to-do lists and the like. For me I want to look back on a life filled with family, love, music, learning, wisdom, laughter, peace, service, and in touch with the world around me, understanding all the amazing things God has created around us, memories, and yes pictures to remember it by.
Stop and enjoy life's journey, as a photographer make time to capture it as one of the things in life that bring us satisfaction, joy and passion. Make the time to be creative, not just snapping pictures, think about and interpret life and the world around you make photographs don't take pictures. Share the journey with others and live life in the moment not for the future so that you create a future worth living. The future will take care of itself, life is what happens right now and who you someday will be is based wholly on what you do and the choices you make right now. Take the time to make life worthwhile, make the music, write, talk, listen, feel, learn, and love those most important to you, do it right now.
Sorry for all the cliché's!
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