It’s hard to believe, but we’ve reached the halfway point of the year. That means the days are now getting shorter, and the cooler temperatures of fall are inching closer every day. . .but not until we endure the increasingly brutal heat of summer, which certainly seems to have arrived.
This month also marks my first sale of a photograph. A couple of months ago, I was contacted via my website by a lady asking about one of my images of the Old Mill in North Little Rock, Arkansas. After several emails back and forth, we were able to get together and complete the sale, and she was extremely pleased with the final print. She actually bought two of them to give as gifts to her daughters. I was definitely excited to sell my first prints, but I most certainly will not be quitting my day job any time soon.
WHERE I’VE BEEN
This month was not a particularly productive month for me photographically. In fact, I was able to get out only once earlier this month to the Isabella Jo Trail, which is part of Campbell Lake Park in North Little Rock. I got there a little bit after sunrise, but the cloudy sky eliminated the issue of harsh lighting. It was a wonderfully cool morning with no one else around, which made it all the more enjoyable. It was even more enjoyable when I saw at least half a dozen deer along the way. I wasn’t in a position to photograph any of them, but it was quite a pleasure nonetheless. Walking along the trail, I eventually spotted this tree and really liked its shape. There was a paved bicycle path that ran beside it, so I had to walk down into a small overgrown ditch to eliminate it from the frame. I’m still not completely sold on this image, but I would love to hear what you think.
2024 GOAL UPDATE
At the beginning of the year, I outlined three goals I wanted to accomplish. At the halfway point, let me take a look at how I’m progressing.
The first thing I wanted to do was to get out and photograph at least 25 days this year and at least once per month. So far, I’ve been able to get out at least once a month, but I’ve fallen a little behind on getting to my 25 outings for the year. The unbearable heat of summer often saps my desire to get out, but I’m going to have to set that aside and get out there if I want to meet this goal by the end of the year.
My second goal was to create at least one-third of my images after 9:00 in the morning. This has proven to be a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. I love the early mornings when the world is at its quietest and most peaceful, so I still tend to go out early, and it’s an approach I find hard to change. But, I’ve recently been thinking that using a specific time may not be the most reasonable criterion for determining accomplishment of this goal. When the sun rises at 5:45, I’m tired by the time 9:00 arrives. So, going forward, I’ll set the bar for this goal as images created more than two hours after sunrise. Based on this new measure, I am meeting my goal.
My final goal was to create artistic images that are reflective of more than technical skill and the ability to operate the camera to capture an obvious composition. This is a very tough goal to meet because it is highly, highly subjective. There are no quantifiable metrics to determine if an image is artistic or not. It truly is in the eye of the beholder, and I know my eye is the most critical, probably overly so. So, where do I stand on meeting this challenge? Honestly, I don’t know. There are some images I like and may be more artistic than what I usually do, but, overall, I’m still not satisfied, and I need to keep working at it.
First — congratulations on the sale! Isn’t it a wonderful feeling to know that someone else liked your work so much that they want to look at, on their own wall, most every day?
Second, since we too have summer heat “issues” here in Southern California (although it’s not as humid here, I guess) — I find the early morning hours very beneficial for photography in the summer. A little bit outside of our suburbs (where asphalt and concrete store and radiate a lot of heat), on some simple nature trails, it is always much cooler, and where some hill to the east blocks the sun a little bit longer, I manage to find one or the other intimate landscape photograph even if I’m not out super early. Maybe you can find a location like that where you live?
Third, and only since you asked — my thoughts on the tree photo: I can see why you like the tree and it’s shape, the nice greens against the sky. It’s nice for this simple, tranquil quality, but with that probably comes the fact that it is all in all, hmmm, a bit generic perhaps, if that’s the right word?
Anyway, thanks for sharing your recap, it’s always nice to read what other people are up to… and their struggles. Makes me feel less alone in mine! 😉
Thank you for your comments, Alex, and your time for making them. They are greatly appreciated. And, for the record, your monthly “End Notes” are what led me to do my monthly recap. Thank you for that inspiration.
Yes, it felt really nice for someone to want one of my photographs and want it enough to actually pay their hard-earned money for it. I would like to think this first of many more in the years to come, but, like I said, I probably don’t need to quit my day job any time soon. 😆
Early morning is also my preferred time to go out. As you note, that’s usually the coolest part of the day. It’s also usually the quietest and most peaceful time of day as well. There are a number of trails and parks within a 1-2 hour drive from my house, so I can easily get away from the “concrete jungle.” But, the real issue isn’t so much the heat as it is the combination of heat and humidity. Heat index values can be in the mid- to upper-90s even in the early mornings. That quickly saps my energy; having to wipe sweat from my eyes and equipment every few seconds kills my enthusiasm just as fast. But, it’s something I just need to get over and just get out there with my camera.
As to the photo of the tree, I think it’s a nice image, but it just wasn’t really working for me, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on why it wasn’t working. But, your opinion that it was “a bit generic” is spot on and puts into words I couldn’t quite find why I’m not inspired by it.