Wandering

I love going outside to take pictures. I never know what I may find, or where I might end up. My curiosity always leads me in the direction of discovering someplace new. The thrill never dies for me. I'm a wanderer of the earth and I'm completely OK with it.

When I first started doing photography as an adult, I was confused about what I wanted to photograph. I felt trapped. Blank. Like I was somehow forcing myself to choose something specific, forced to go out and find it. But the more I took that approach, the more confused I became and I struggled. The pictures reflected this state of mind I was in and I was constantly discouraged in myself.

One day, not with photography in mind, I took a drive up north from my home in Seattle to clear my head. The weather was quite warm for fall and the sun was out. Everything was wet from the previous night's rain. The air was fresh. I paid no attention to the exit I used to pull off the freeway. It didn't matter. I drove for a bit up until I spotted a park up ahead. I pulled into the parking lot and noticed hardly anyone was there.

Making sure to grab my phone, I exited the car and took a deep breath of the fresh air. The smell of fall was all around me and it instantly gave me energy, and without thinking, I started to walk. I had never been here before and got excited about exploring the area.

The first thing that took my attention was the fall colors. Bright reds and yellows mixed with orange covered the pavement which sat next to a field of well-manicured grass that was the most vibrant of greens. The trees were just as bright, decorated with matching colors against an otherwise dismal, gray backdrop of a typical Washington fall sky. The leaves looked so beautiful against the gray world that surrounded them. I couldn't help but take a photo.

I kneeled down and took a simple picture with my phone and looked at the result, surprising myself. I was happy with the result and the photo looked great. I took some more pictures of the leaves in front of me, focusing now on the drops of water resting on some of them. Each picture came out clear and sharp. I walked further into the park and found myself taking picture after picture, sometimes multiple images of the same thing to make sure I got the outcome I was looking for. Three hours or so later, I looked around and realized I was no longer in the park, but had wandered off somewhere way down the road to some forested area with trails. I didn't mind at all though and wanted to continue wandering and exploring. I felt free and full of inspiration, more than I ever had before. But looking at the time made me find my way back to the park and get back in my car. I was still excited to look through the photos I had taken to see how they turned out.

As I flipped through the many pictures I took that afternoon, not only was I pleased with how they turned out, I was actually able to see my own progression throughout the day. The images taken at the beginning of my walk were much more simple and carefree, versus the images halfway and towards the end of my walk. These images were much more in-depth and I found I was taking many shots of the same object to get just the right outcome.

The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that being free to wander outside without any plans or agenda was what I was missing to make my pictures come to life. Feeling free of constraints, such as a time limit, a specific place, or a specific object. Taking these barriers out of my way created an open canvas right in front of me and I was inspired.

Now I embrace wandering with my camera, wherever that may be and for however long it may take. I don't worry about what time it is, or how long it will take me to get back. I just go wherever I please and let my curiosity guide me. This is how I found my love for taking close-up shots of nature. Drops of water on green leaves. A tiny insect perched on the tip of a flower petal. Or the wind's patterns on the surface of the water. I'll forever be fascinated with mother nature and what she has to offer. So I just keep wandering her paths in search of the next photo opportunity, wherever that may be.