A weekly observation on a world photographic
April 13, 2013
A ROAD OFT TRAVELLED
Like most creative types, I respond to the end of long stretches of work with a feeling of uncertainty. Last year we dissolved our long-standing organization TWR. While it was the right decision given the times, it prompted in me more than a bit of worry about the future. What comes next? Where do I focus my eyes and cameras?
A favorite poem of mine is Robert Frost’s oft-quoted “The Road Not Taken” where he gently prompts the reader to ponder what might lie down an untraveled path. It occurred to me that I needed solo camera time to re-fresh my creative energies and ponder the next chapter. Rather than leading a tour and being the guide to other photographers, I needed to explore roads untaken in previous African travel – for the sheer fun of shooting (remember that? It’s what first drew us to the camera way, way back!).
So I set my compass for a seven-week sojourn throughout Namibia and South Africa, camera in hand, and thrilled at the thought of shooting for the sheer pleasure of photography.
The details of this journey – as much inward as outbound – are recounted in my latest newsletter (which you can sign up for at the bottom of this page) but suffice to say, I renewed my love affair with the camera and nature!
With no deadlines looming or guests to escort, I leaped to each day’s adventure with the zeal of seeing with new eyes. No small surprise here considering what I photographed during this trip: the magnificent orange hues of the Sossusvlei Dunes in the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the highest dunes in the world . . . Deadvlei’s skeletons of ancient camel thorn trees . . . Swakopmund, a delightful hodge-podge of German architecture populated with an exotic mix of inhabitants . . . the Grootberg Plateau . . . sunsets by Epupa Falls on the banks of the Kunene River . . . a day of photographing the Himba tribe . . . Etosha National Park, wildlife photography at its truest definition . . . Franschoek, the winelands pastoral countryside … A PRIVATE RESERVE in South Africa home to the rare species of White Lions . . . and so much more.
So I’m home in Santa Fe, renewed and ready, and happily at work on the next phase of my photo journey. Granted, I’ve access to photo opportunities not always available to everyone, but location is not the point. What I needed – and I suspect what we all need from time to time – is photography for the sheer fun of holding the camera and challenging yourself to capture the moment in front of you.
Grab your camera and head out to a favorite spot that you’ve not visited in way too long. Think of the trip as a reunion of sorts with an old friend; a conversation too long missed. And enjoy!
If you’re feeling a lag in your energy, grab your camera and take off. Remember the roads taken and those unexplored. It’s a sure way to begin anew on your creative path!
See you along the trail!
Bobbie