The Camera Is Just an Excuse
There's something special about waking up before everyone else, packing my camera bag and heading out into the darkness while the rest of the world is still asleep.
This morning's destination was a nature reserve just a stone's throw from home. After a thirty-minute walk, I found myself sitting on an old stone wall in complete darkness, pouring my first cup of coffee and simply waiting for the day to begin.
No expectations. No pressure. No particular photograph in mind. Just me, my thoughts and my faithful companion, Harry.
As the first light slowly began to brighten the sky, I wandered around looking for something to photograph. But the morning light wasn't particularly exciting, and nothing really caught my attention. So I returned to my stone wall for another cup of coffee. Not exactly a wasted morning, if you ask me.
Eventually, I noticed a rowan tree standing just twenty metres from where I had been sitting. As the morning light gently reached its branches, I decided that this would be my photograph for the day.
Nothing spectacular. Nothing extraordinary. Just a simple image of a tree.
But whenever I look at it, I'll remember this morning. The darkness, the silence, the coffee and the pleasure of having absolutely nowhere else I needed to be.
And perhaps that's what I've come to appreciate most about landscape photography.
It's not always about capturing extraordinary images or chasing perfect light. Sometimes it's simply about being outdoors, enjoying the silence and allowing yourself a little time away from everything else.
The photograph is just a reminder of the moment.
And the camera? Well, that's just a very convenient excuse to get out into nature.