New year, new habits

Ah, fog.

By now you know I love fog and I’ve gotten better about keeping the camera close and managing my time to take advantage of it. Not that I’ve got a lot of demands on my time these days, but when I was out the other day I left much earlier for an appointment so I wouldn’t be too rushed to take pictures if something presented itself. Well, it was foggy so of course something did!

I’ve driven by this field many times since moving here and I’ve always been struck by it. Next to it are some train tracks and a lovely marshy area with lots of tamarack pines, my favorites. “One of these days I’m going to shoot that.” Sound familiar? Procrastination, laziness, poor planning – we all fall victim to these things and they are the seeds of regret. Regret that something you wanted to photograph has changed, disappeared or otherwise been made non-photogenic in the way that first captured your attention. One thing I’ve decided for this year is to get out of those bad habits and shoot when the moment seizes me.

So I stopped and I’m really glad I did. Changing conditions can ruin a shot quickly and so I am going to keep the camera handier and finally go to shoot the places and things I’ve been meaning to. I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions, and I’m not particularly goal oriented when it comes to my photography, but this is something I intend to do. I’m even making lists!

Another thing is to be more flexible about my initial impression of a subject. Sometimes I get caught up in a particular way I envision a final image and I ignore other ways of approaching a scene. I need to be always thinking of different perspectives, compositions. Trying things out. It’s only ones and zeros after all.

And always remember to turn around! Get rid of those blinders!! I’ve passed by this barn a bunch of times, but only when I was out of the car, walking around and seeing like a photographer did I really notice it. It’s an important distinction.

One thing I’m pretty good at is the other kind of turning around – the car. I drove by this field on a hill and though it looked great. So, not being in a real hurry, I turned around and went back. I never regret doing this. I only regret it when I don’t. Those untaken photos sometimes haunt me, so now I always go for them.

I try to be prepared, but when I took these photos I wasn’t. I didn’t have gaiters or even a hat, so I was cold and uncomfortable, making me a bit sloppy and in too much of a hurry. I also couldn’t physically get into a better position to compose because of the deep snow. So I’m going to put a kit together and leave it in the car. Gaiters, hat, gloves, maybe even my hiking boots. That way I won’t be miserable and instead be prepared and confident and get the shots I want.

There are a few more things I want to do this year in terms of photography, but that’s it for now.