My mind races with a multitude of questions when I come upon an interesting subject to photograph. What’s unique about this scene? What’s in the background? Where should I focus? What drew me to this subject? Should I shoot from a high point or low? How’s the lighting? Would anyone else stop to take this picture? What’s the angle that no one else will see?
The questions keep flying rather quickly as I continue to survey the scene. I look thorough the viewfinder, adjust camera settings and begin composing the shot. My mind is still reeling with thoughts on the outcome and intention of this image.
I’m conscious of my breathing. I can actually feel my heart beating. A rhythm starts as I press the shutter partway to focus the camera, breathe in, pause, and then exhale. I release the shutter button and then press it halfway again to re-focus the camera. This process continues for as long as it takes before fully pressing the shutter to take that first picture. After the shot, the rhythm continues as I move slightly to the left or right, noticing background lines, colors and other objects while recomposing the scene.
Distractions seem to fade away when I am composing images with my camera. I forget about the extreme hot or frigid cold of the weather. I no longer remember that I’m kind of hungry and haven’t eaten since lunch. I lose all track of time as the minutes turn to hours. My creative mind is simply focused on the subject and how to capture it’s beauty. Nothing else seems to matter.
For me, photography is a therapy of sorts. It takes me to a place of beauty and creativity and, for a time, veils the cares of the day. The thought of being able to share a vision I’ve had when peering through my camera’s viewfinder is quite motivating. The journey to a beautiful image is sometimes a challenge, but the end results can be remarkable. The rhythm of the shoot is what makes the journey an adventure, but the outcome of the shot is what makes it all worthwhile.