A construction site near my home. Found while out on a walk. I love how the wind is blowing snow off the roof, a photo I would have missed if I had stayed inside.
In an effort for self-improvement, I have made two new goals for myself (among other things). First, I would like to get out and practice my photography more. Second, I want to be a little more active. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that it’s always best to have a plan in order to meet any goal. For example, if my goal was to run more, I might sign myself up for a few 5k races staggered throughout the year (and I have done that in the past). But I surprised myself when I realized how well my two latest goals can compliment each other.
Part of my plan to be more active is to take a few walks each week. Weekdays will be a little more difficult as the work week can get in the way, especially during the short days of winter. But I do expect things to get easier as days get longer. Weekends are much easier. As a family, we try to get out and do things whenever we can: A craft fair, historical society event or a benefit walk. On down weekends, I sometimes get out on my own. We live in the middle of an old town (most of the structures were built in 1910-1930), so there are plenty of places to wander.
My plan to get out and shoot photos more is very simple. I plan to carry a camera at all times. Usually it’s my Fujifilm X100s, which has become indispensable to my craft. But on some occasions, I will carry one of my other cameras as well. Otherwise, I plan to get out as often as possible with my cameras to wander with camera-in-hand.
Today I took a 3 mile walk with my camera. It was cold and windy, but it gave me plenty of time to snap some photos and think. And it occurred to me that I was basically killing two birds with one stone: I was being more active and I was shooting more. The cold windy day could easily have been an excuse to stay inside. But the recent snowfall and the windy conditions created a wonderful set of photo opportunities that motivated me to go outside in the first place.
So I expect I’ll continue to use my photography to help me be more active, and I’ll use my activity to motivate me to get out and shoot. Seems like a benefit to both causes. There don’t appear to be any drawbacks. That’s a win-win scenario if I ever saw one.
“Not all those who wander are lost.” — J.R.R. Tolkein
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