Many times I stop to restart. I ask what is interesting, what is exciting, what do I want more of, where am I in the “zone.” My “zone” is in sight and creation. Creating a brand, home, garden, special dessert, and sometimes just creating a fun time. One of my “zones” is creating a photograph. It’s not always about the end results. Not always about the final product to hang on the wall or stuff in an album. But photography for me is the “experience.” It’s hard to create great photographs if the “experience” is empty. The “experience” can be calm and gentle, exciting and full, but regardless we must find an “experience.” Photography to me resembles so much of life. The “light” changes the world moves, never to be the same.
Join me on this journal to share my “experiences.” With much encouragement from co-workers, friends, and family I enter my first post.
ENTRY ONE
TITLE: The Ride Home
It was a ride home from a photo shoot. A family sitting. I awake early. Go through the list. The first shoot with my new camera, I was a little nervous, all the buttons had moved. A few days of studying the manual didn’t seem to help. I wanted the old camera — the familiar. I didn’t want better, I wanted familiar. (Sounds like life to me.) Packing the bag. Camera, check. Charged battery, check. Second battery, check. Cleared memory cards, check. Lens one and two, check. Lens three and four, check. Grab a fresh cup of coffee, a kiss to KC, my sweet dog, and I head out the front door, camera in tote. Somehow the sip of coffee, heading out early morning, makes it all cozy and comfortable to me.
I arrive on time, examine the location, and stay all smiles as I meet the kiddos for the first time. Must make a connection or the day can become out of control in a hurry. We choose a background, all is in the viewfinder, and we click … adjust and click. Much wiggling going on. (Note: The parents normally wiggle more than the kiddos.) A nearly full memory card and off I go.
As I travel the interstate returning home I see a glimpse of one of the most beautiful animals I have ever seen. Still early, the haze adds such calmness to the view. The markings on this most beautiful horse brought an unexpected excitement. I saw no simple way to get to him, but I had to. I had to get closer. I experience the adrenalin. I continued off the exit ramp, take a right. Now where? A left maybe? Now a …. who knows where, a left? Now down a long stretch of road and there he is on the left. Now grab your camera, adjust the buttons and approach the fence. Being respectful of the farm owners I did not intrude, but man I wanted to get closer. I wanted to see his eyes. Now I must make the photo — compose it with what I had and merge it with what I had imagined it to be.
How can I translate this “experience” so I can remember this moment or so I can share?
Paused to think, create, and position the camera to capture the experience. To my surprise the sweet horse calmly came to greet me at the edge of the fence. I took time to enjoy him, pet him, and thank him for the “experience,” for the moment of joy and I then I continued to shoot.
I know nothing about horses, but I know this horse is beautiful and he changed my day into an “experience.”
Photographer: Deana Fulton
Camera: Nikon D7000
Lens: 18.0 -105.0mm f/3.5-5.6
Max Aperture Value f/5.7
Speed: Auto
Flash: Did not flash.
Copyrights and credits: ©2014 Deana Fulton
I shot several images and this is the one I selected to represent my experience. Enjoy!
