Sobriety Test

After posting about my obsession to go photograph the moving rocks at the Race Track in Death Valley National Park I figured it only wise to post an image of one of the aforementioned moving rocks so that people will know what I was referring to. In fact, I will probably post a number of pictures from the Race Track. It is really a wonderful place to photograph. I am often faced with the question of what am I going to do different than what has already been done by so many others. When I faced that question here, all I could think was...who cares? Sometimes it is very refreshing to get the academics out of your head and just have some fun. I really enjoyed the creative exercise of walking and looking and composing. I liked looking for how the light played off of the polished playa. I liked the challenge of where my mind could go when I sat and pondered something as bizarre as this rock that looks like it really needed the services of a designated driver. I have plenty of images that I challenged myself to not settle for the predictable image but I still am quite happy with this result and the experiences that accompanied it as well.

Seeing the Forest even Without Trees

For Spring Break, I went to Death Valley National Park with John Telford and Brandon Allen. One of the priorities of the trip was to go out and photograph in an area known as the Race Track. It is a unique place where rocks seem to move of their own fruition and leave tracks in the playa as evidence. I found myself experiencing tunnel vision while there. I came to the Race Track so dogone it, I was going to photograph those rocks. After the sun set, I realized that I frequently looked up and was amazed at how beautiful the sky was. Yet, I wasn't here to photograph the sky. I was here to photograph those rocks so I didn't make any photographs that incorporated the sky. It is a sad realization for a landscape photographer to realize that one fell into the trap of not seeing what opportunities God gave on a particular day. I was focused on finding a specific kind of picture and dismissed anything that didn't fit that model. I went to bed a little annoyed at myself and my perceived failure. Luckily we had decided to spend the night and photograph in the morning as well. The sky was not as amazing but I was not going to complain or neglect an opportunity again. I realized that I was blessed with a little chance at redemption and a valuable reminder...to photograph is to see. I must not forget to allow the world to reveal its wonders and not force its hand.