Taking a rather different kind of ‘photo walk’ —
One of the most common habits I’ve seen with great artists, writers, and composers is the habit of taking walks in the afternoon.
And this really is the best time of year for walking. It’s spring here in the mountains of North Carolina, which makes it fall over in Oz. But in either case, pretty much wherever you are I suspect, it’s not too cold, not too hot. It’s just perfect.
Which is why we should take advantage of it and start developing a new habit around walking every day.
Morning, afternoon, evening — whatever works for you.
But it should be a habit. And I think you might like to try approaching it in the way I do: Not as exercise, not even as an excuse to get out and about with your camera.
Rather … simply walking for the sake of walking.
Walking as a form of meditation in a way. As a means of putting aside all the bother and confusion of everyday life for a while, letting your mind rest, and allowing your creativity to quietly do its thing in the background.
In my case, I live out in the country and I love to either walk the country roads or hike a bit in the mountains around my home. But you could take a walk anywhere. The only important thing is that you let everything else go.
Me, I turn my phone off, I grab my walking stick if I’m taking to the trails, and I shoulder a light camera bag — in which I carry one small mirrorless camera with one lens, a small Moleskine notebook and pen, a book I tuck into the back pocket (in case I decide to sit and read a bit somewhere along the way), and a small bottle of water. And that’s all. That’s my “walking rig,” as I call it.
And then, when I’m out walking, I’m not thinking about my To-Do list back home. I’m not thinking about emails or text messages or Facebook or people I need to get in touch with or any of those things.
I’m not really even thinking about taking photos, truth be told. Although if something beautiful comes along I’ll be happy to stop and capture it . . .
The important thing, for me, is just to get away from the bustle for half an hour or so. Just to walk and ENJOY the pleasure of walking. In no hurry at all.
“The walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to taking exercise, as it is called, as the sick take medicine at stated hours … but it is itself the enterprise and adventure of the day.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walking
And funny thing is, when I’m just lazing along, simply enjoying the sun and the breeze and the trees around me, somewhere along the way … that’s when my best ideas come to me, that’s when my creativity begins to spark. And if it’s an especially striking idea, I might even pause to jot something down so as not to lose it. Then I go on with my walk.
We tend to live in such a rushing blur anymore, and we spend so much of our lives either glued to our phones or sitting behind computer screens or gaping at television sets.
If you want a richer, happier, more peaceful life — a life of greater simplicity and clarity — I recommend taking up walking every day.
Not so you can lose weight or get in shape.
Not so you can obsess over your Fitbit stats.
Not so you can “walk and talk” (or worse, walk and text) so as to fit in some more work during your lunch break.
Not even so you can GET somewhere.
Instead, try just walking … simply for the sake of walking. Try just enjoying the walk itself — for no other purpose than to breathe and to move and to take pleasure in being right where you are, doing exactly what you are doing.
And along the way … maybe you’ll come up with an amazing idea for a composition.
Maybe you’ll even find something great to photograph.
In fact, my bet is you’ll find a great many treasures along the way. You might even find something especially awesome:
Peace. And happiness.
– Sebastian