In transitioning out of my full-time job, I’ve been doing a lot of work indoors. I’ve been working heavily on a new project and in sitting inside for much of yesterday, I noticed fall leaves being blown rather easily off of an aspen tree outside my window and it dawned on me that I’ve most likely missed fall here in its prime. There’s still plenty of color around the valley, but much of it has already either faded, or fallen off the trees.
Thus, this morning, I forced myself out of bed for sunrise (something that should be much easier than it is given that sunrise is around 7:30am these days), and headed up to Schwabacher Landing in Grand Teton National Park to capture some of the remaining cottonwood trees. There’s been a hint of brown in many of them around Jackson Hole, but with some nice, warm morning light, anything looks good. It’s simply one of those pieces of advice that I throw around on this blog that I need to take: get outside! At the same time though, I think it’s those long periods indoors that makes us appreciate the outdoors that much more. I haven’t watched sunrise since I last saw the black bears on Moose-Wilson Road that were causing so much controversy a couple of weeks ago. In seeing it again though, it was a blatant reminder that I still need to get out every now and then.
By ‘need’ I don’t necessarily mean that I have to make it an uncomfortable priority, but I just need that break of silent peace where I’m on my own and I can release and/or distract myself from the bigger priorities I have lingering above me. It’s one the main reason I love photography so much: so that I can just escape into my own world, something I dove a little deeper into while writing out ‘My Vision’ on my About page. Everybody needs that release so that they can escape the day-to-day stresses. Mine’s obviously photography, but what’s yours? Do you have any favorite places to go regularly or some kind of creative output that helps you ‘get away’?
I can so relate Mike. My web development business keeps me inside for much of my time. During the summer its not as difficult but when those autumn days and those nice cool mornings appear it gets harder and harder to not grab the camera and run outside. Especially here in Florida. We are having a few nice cool morning already which is not an usual thing for us. I am in the process of transitioning from webmaster to master photographer. A much more enjoyable ride.
That’s great news! I’m actually in the process, as well, of transitioning to both pro photographer in addition to web designer, among other things.
The great thing about photography is that it doesn’t take a whole lot of time (as compared with painting, for example) to take some morning shots. Then you can process the photos whenever you have more time. But it’s the act of actually getting out there and getting those shots that creates such a great balance of other things.
Thank you for the comment!
That’s interesting that you still want to do web design. I have been doing web development since I can remember and kept photography right along side. It is time that photography crowds out all the rest. It becomes overwhelming trying to do both. I have incredible clients and will probably always keep 4-5 because they trust me so much but they know, photography comes first. Good luck with the process. You are about one in maybe five blogs I really enjoy.
I’d like to keep doing web design until my photography has expanded to the point I don’t need to do anything but photography. I’m just now transitioning out of a full-time job and I do still enjoy doing web design so it’s something I’d like to keep active for a while, if nothing else than to make some extra money and help me feel a bit more secure about being more independent.
Glad to hear you’re at the point I want to eventually be at though! Way to go!
Thanks for compliments as well. They’re greatly appreciated!
I can so relate Mike. My web development business keeps me inside for much of my time. During the summer its not as difficult but when those autumn days and those nice cool mornings appear it gets harder and harder to not grab the camera and run outside. Especially here in Florida. We are having a few nice cool morning already which is not an usual thing for us. I am in the process of transitioning from webmaster to master photographer. A much more enjoyable ride.
That’s great news! I’m actually in the process, as well, of transitioning to both pro photographer in addition to web designer, among other things.
The great thing about photography is that it doesn’t take a whole lot of time (as compared with painting, for example) to take some morning shots. Then you can process the photos whenever you have more time. But it’s the act of actually getting out there and getting those shots that creates such a great balance of other things.
Thank you for the comment!
That’s interesting that you still want to do web design. I have been doing web development since I can remember and kept photography right along side. It is time that photography crowds out all the rest. It becomes overwhelming trying to do both. I have incredible clients and will probably always keep 4-5 because they trust me so much but they know, photography comes first. Good luck with the process. You are about one in maybe five blogs I really enjoy.
I’d like to keep doing web design until my photography has expanded to the point I don’t need to do anything but photography. I’m just now transitioning out of a full-time job and I do still enjoy doing web design so it’s something I’d like to keep active for a while, if nothing else than to make some extra money and help me feel a bit more secure about being more independent.
Glad to hear you’re at the point I want to eventually be at though! Way to go!
Thanks for compliments as well. They’re greatly appreciated!