An Early Effort
A brilliant sunrise streaks the skies above and reflects in the placid waters of Lake Mattamuskeet, framing an almost perfect thin stand of cypress trees a short distance offshore--in Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina.
This picture is one from the archives, taken several years ago during one of my first outings after getting my old D800. That camera was quite a revolutionary tool in my photographic experience and looking recently at some of my early pictures with it made me think more generally about what photography has meant to me, particularly in recent years. And I realized that a camera is much more than a tool, its also somehow a part of the inspiration, and a little extra motivation to unforgettable experiences.
Without a camera, how often would I get up in the middle of the night, drive an hour to hike another hour in the dark, all for the privilege of hanging out on some exposed overlook in a bracing wind awaiting sunrise and the chance to experience something wonderful? Powerful is the hope that nature may provide the raw materials from which I can craft my vision--even of a familiar vista. An image that tells the story of my experience with nature, that inexorably links in my mind to a strong feeling, memory and mood, like the way hearing certain old songs makes you both feel young and remember your youth at the same time. If that image turns out in a way that allows me to share those experiences and feelings, or just that others enjoy at a glance, all the better. But without a camera, there are great days I’m sure I never would have gotten out of bed that early, or ventured as far.
And think what I would have missed.
An Early Effort
A brilliant sunrise streaks the skies above and reflects in the placid waters of Lake Mattamuskeet, framing an almost perfect thin stand of cypress trees a short distance offshore--in Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina.
This picture is one from the archives, taken several years ago during one of my first outings after getting my old D800. That camera was quite a revolutionary tool in my photographic experience and looking recently at some of my early pictures with it made me think more generally about what photography has meant to me, particularly in recent years. And I realized that a camera is much more than a tool, its also somehow a part of the inspiration, and a little extra motivation to unforgettable experiences.
Without a camera, how often would I get up in the middle of the night, drive an hour to hike another hour in the dark, all for the privilege of hanging out on some exposed overlook in a bracing wind awaiting sunrise and the chance to experience something wonderful? Powerful is the hope that nature may provide the raw materials from which I can craft my vision--even of a familiar vista. An image that tells the story of my experience with nature, that inexorably links in my mind to a strong feeling, memory and mood, like the way hearing certain old songs makes you both feel young and remember your youth at the same time. If that image turns out in a way that allows me to share those experiences and feelings, or just that others enjoy at a glance, all the better. But without a camera, there are great days I’m sure I never would have gotten out of bed that early, or ventured as far.
And think what I would have missed.