Bruce Peninsula Fall Color
Let me know if you have something similar happen to you. Frequently when I am heading out to photograph, I will be driving along the highway and some quick details will catch my attention. It may be something quite fleeting and subtle. Whatever it is, I do this mental grab or snapshot and begin processing it in my head. Since it is a highway, I find myself evaluating if it is worth turning around for or not. I didn’t even get a careful look at it, it was just something that caught my attention for a moment. Turning around could result in a significant diversion of time.
Such was the case with this group of trees along a highway going up into the Bruce Peninsula. I am pretty sure the white trunks are what grabbed me. They slashed through the foliage in a clean way that seemed to be different than most other sections along the road. It is a like a running movie camera in your head and one particular frame of thousands stands out from the others, and I hadn’t even picked up the camera yet.
It can make getting to your intended destination a bit difficult if this happens too often. But then again, I am reminded of the importance of the journey. As it turns out, this image would be my only “fall color” picture from this year. When I arrived where I was camping in the Bruce, there was very little color, I was still a bit early. I still managed to photograph quite a few different things other than fall colors. Little did I know that time would simply get away from me this year and all of the sudden, it seemed, the color was gone. It is not as if I am trying to tell myself “Boy, I am glad I turned around,” because I have plenty of fall color pictures. This one is a bit different from my others, but there isn’t a commandment amongst nature photographers of “Thou shalt photograph color every year!”
It is more about thinking about choices, opportunities, and how our brain connects with certain visual clues, no matter how fleeting. I suppose one could reflect back on all the times you didn’t turn around with regret, passing up stops on the journey for the destination. But I believe that can be an exercise in futility. Our journeys are ultimately defined by our choices, opportunities passed may result in opportunities found. I believe those mental grabs we make along the way are part of the process of sharpening our observation skills and defining what interests us most.
Beautiful, beautiful photograph, Mark. These kinds of shots are difficult to pull off composition-wise but you nailed this one.
And thanks for sharing your thoughts about the process of getting the photograph. I always enjoy reading them.
Sharon
Thanks Sharon!
You know what I really like about photographers? Their outlook on life. The comments in the thread above are a perfect example. The general gist is that many said something about the importance of exploration and turning around to see what could be, as more important than staying stuck on a destination or expectation for the journey. To put it as a cliche, “It’s the journey not the destination that matters.” You all remind me of my father, which means more than you will ever know to me. Now if you had this discussion with a group of MBA’s, nothing against any who are also photographers, they would all make comments about how it’s important to keep your eye on the goal, all distractions are equal, efficiency is the most important factor, and so on. My own life, I find, is a continual challenge to create a balance between the massive amount of work I’m usually behind on, and breaking free to enjoy however many hours I like, out photographing or doing other activities I love. Thanks Mark and everyone for the reminders of what is important and what makes for a happy life.
I also struggle with the balance of work and getting behind David – evident by the state of my office at the moment! 🙂 Thanks to YOU for the great comments.
Hey Mark
Lovely image .. really nice.
And I know exactly what you’re talking about; it’s hard, trying to ‘get somewhere’ and trying to shoot along the way. Very hard. I’m not good at it at all. What looks great as you zim by (yes, I just made up the word zim) doesn’t look so well when you stop and focus on it; that power line in the background, the scrappy f/g, etc, etc .. all are invisible at highway speeds.
But often the stopping and looking again reveals something else, which can be cool.
However .. I think the main thing is to stop and look; whether we photograph it or not .. we should practice following our eye . whatever gives us pause, we should pause and give our attention. Even if means we’re late for the gig.
Cheers
Carl
Thanks Carl. Given where you typically hike to, I imagine it is quite an exercise in restraint not to stop every few feet.
Yes, I totally relate to this.
Here’s my take on turning around or not. I’ve never much regretted turning around even if the shot wasn’t what I thought it was when I “mentally grabbed” it but I have numerous regrets for not turning around and thereby never knowing what could have been.
I think there’s a lesson there somewhere. Have a great Thanksgiving, Mark!
Good philosophy Earl. Have a great Thanksgiving also to you!
I can totally relate. I’ve even found second and third image after turning around and seeing with a different perspective. There have been times I never reached my initial destination. 🙂 I also find it interesting as inquisitive people slow down to see what we are pointing our camera at. Awesome image!
Ha, never reaching it is what I tend to fuss over Monte. Thanks.
Wow Mark I can really relate to this. Many times I as driving to a predetermined destination I pass by scenes that catch my attention. I have played this out both ways, first where I have made my mind up that I will not stop and be detoured to my final destination, and second where I make a conscious decision to stop if I see something that I truly think is worth turning around and going back for.
From this unscientific decision, which most times is simply based on how I feel that day or how much time I have for detours it has been somewhat clear to me that the best opportunities I get are from those times when I catch a quick glance of something, turn around and explore the unexpected.
Just my opinion but these spur of the moment situations always seem much more fleeting and thus much more unique photographic opportunities. Your image is a great example of that, nicely done.
Brad, sounds like this is pretty common then amongst other photographers. So true about the mood you are in at the time. Many times I am just irked I dragged my butt out of bed so early. 😉
Certainly not an original thought, but I am glad you turned around this time. Generally, I am not driving, but I see so many scenes I want to investigate that it is a good thing I am not at the wheel. We would never make it to any destination. Maybe the times we do get to stop and the final product is a washout, keep us on our toes. It sounds as though you had so clearly visualized this that your odds were excellent. I don’t think I am anywhere near that capability.
I continue to use my silly drive-by photography in hopes of honing my ability to quickly see the image and act on it before the moment is gone. I think it is helping to develp my visualization skills, but I have such a long way to go.
Anita, oh, to the contrary on the visualization. It was only a momentary glimpse of some details. Can’t tell you how many times where I thought I saw something, turned around, and then couldn’t put it together.
Hey, Mark – Here’s my riff on your photo above… 🙂
– Jack
Thanks Jack!
Hey, David – I’ve had plenty of those kinds of turn-arounds, too! I just try to remind myself that I’m there at least as much for the experience of shooting photos as for the resulting images… One benefit of only being semi-pro… :^D
– Jack
Does this ever happen? Frequently! As a matter of fact, it happened this morning on I-77, on the way into downtown. There’s still some beautiful color left on the western side of the highway, in patches. However, even though there are exits, there are no places that I could think of to get the shot. The sun was shining on those beautiful yellow leaves, teasing me! 🙂
I’m glad that you were able to stop and get the shot. Sure, it delays us a bit, but so what!
It is usually the fleeting light that causes the struggle with me Paul, like you noticed with the yellow leaves. Those are some fleeting moments. So the question is always there, go to where you planned to be for the light, or stop now?
I’ve had similar experiences to what Jack mentioned above, then again, I have turned around, spent a lot of time to unpack and get set up, only to make a few images and go, “Why the heck did I turn around and invest all this time to get this junk?” Maybe I am still learning how to see well in a photographic sense, but it seems like the mental grabs I make sometimes pan out and sometimes don’t. I believe it depends on what mood I’m in on how much I beat myself up along any given stretch of road. I have had days where I turn around for all the bad photographs and skip some that I somehow knew deep inside would have been amazing. Then again, hopefully at some point sooner than later, I realize that there will be another day on which nature will knock my socks off again and no matter how stumbling and bumbling I am, I will manage to make some good images.
I can fully relate to what you have stated here David, and questions like those are exactly what prompted this post. Sometimes I am not happy with what I turned around for, and wonder if I just wasn’t recognizing what I perhaps saw subconsciously during that quick moment.
I can see why you stopped for this shot. It’s a great shot but I think it’s the red color rather than the birch trees that you would notice first. Having said that, the birch trees are probably the most photogenic trees in this area just about any time of year, but especially in Fall
You know Ken, the red was just a bonus for me. It was not only the trunks I saw, but how they related to each other.
Hi, Mark –
I really like this image – I’m glad you turned around! :^D
As for whether to turn around or not… This happens to me fairly frequently, and I try to remind myself that I’m out there to shoot nature’s beauty wherever I find it, not just in my final destination. So, if I think I see a shot, I generally turn around. Some of my favorite images have come about as a result of those turns!
— Jack