Not sure what happened to me this week, but I was off my game on multiple fronts. Usually, when that happens, a walk in the woods with my camera does wonders to get my mojo going. Or at least my jo. Sadly, this week offered up a variety of fails.
My first fail was when I tried to get to the Sylvan Solace Preserve for a quick afternoon hike before picking up B. I was less than 2 miles from the trails when it started pouring rain. I’m all for a walk in the wet woods, but not when it’s pouring, and I’ve left the house without a jacket. I should also add that just as it started raining, I remembered that I forgot to put a memory card in my camera. FUCKITY-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK!!
The next day I tried again it much better conditions. I had my D4 with the lackluster at best 28-300mm lens on. I also took my GoPro to get some footage of various fall scenes, hoping to get some cool slow-mo leaf shedding.
The results were poor. The lens continues to be one of my most hated, and I accidentally fucked up the aspect ratio on the GoPro and filmed everything in a square. On top of that, I somehow changed the date on the D4 and what photos I did like had a capture date of 2011. Changes in Lightroom got them in the right folders, but my online storage was still storing them in 2011. FUCKITY-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK!!
Try, try again type bullshit…
The following day I tried AGAIN. This time using one of my favorite Sigma DX lenses on an FX body. It seems like a waste of sensor size, but I like the lens. This time I got some better shots, but still nothing that I’ll be hanging on my wall anytime soon. Still, after two previous fails, I’ll take what I can get.
I feel like I’m in a creative rut and need something to get me going. I feel like I’ve exhausted what I can capture when I’m out riding, and my hikes in the Preserves have left me wanting something a bit more wildernessy (if that’s a word).
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I love and appreciate the nature preserves that dot the local area, but lately I’m finding it sort of lame that with all the land that Michigan has, so much of it is private and we find ourselves happy to hike in plots of land sandwiched between farms, privately-owned “GET OFF MY PROPERTY!” woods, and endless acres of strip malls.
Of course, a nice drive an hour or two northward, and I’d find what I’m looking for, but that doesn’t always fit with my slack dad life schedule.
Oh well, I’ll just be happy with what I got and hope for better days ahead and few more keepers than I got this week.
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Later.