The past few days we've been dealt with chilly, rainy weather. Here in Southern California, we're not accustomed to doing for days without the warm sunshine. So this morning, I decided to get out for a nice long walk along the Santa Ana River and turn the gloomy weather into a melancholy backdrop for my exercise. And just in case, I took my point-and-shoot camera with me in case there was anything that caught my eyes.
As luck would have it, I was rewarded for my efforts...great exercise and some fun photos! I saw a number of folks on bicycles braving the wet pavement and wind chill that comes with cycling. I also saw the artistic expression of flowers that someone left on top of a chain link fence.
Hey, wait a minute? The sun is starting to come out...AND it's already above 60 degrees! Gotta go...
Sharing...one of the early behaviors taught to us by our parents. You start by either being the giver or the receiver, but you quickly learn the joy of being either. It's one of those things in life where 1+1 is 3. Such was the experience I had when I began this year with a very good friend of mine who was in town and had extra time to go on a photo shoot with me.
Just as my friend and I share several common interests, and some common work history, I would like to share with you a small piece of my enjoyment from the day. As photographers, you know that it takes a certain amount of brute determination to get up early to be at your destination for dawn's light. That wasn't our initial plan though as we had picked a more humane time to get together and start our adventure. But the night before, my friend suggested that he was going to arrive early to catch the sunrise. Just the suggestion was enough to push me to do the same and join him. And I'd like to think that by me saying I'd be there too, it pushed him to follow through on his initial idea for showing up early to catch the best light. That's some of the sharing I'm referring to where the whole is great than the sum of its parts.
We arrived nearly at the same time high above the Port of L.A. with a perfect view of the skyline. It was a little breezy and quite brisk, at least by Southern California standards, and thankfully I had a tripod to steady my gear (and my shivering hands) for the shot. Oh, that's another thing. I had a new tripod thanks to my friend. No, he didn't buy it for me--it was a Christmas gift from my wife. The reason I have my friend to thank is that during our ongoing communications and sharing of our photography hobby, he convinced me that I really needed a quality tripod and ball head. What I had been using was ok by my judgement, but I came to realize with his help, that good gear is the foundation of good results. How else can you receive such valuable advice but by having someone willing to share it...
Photography can be a lonely pursuit. If you're reading this, chances are you're one of those photographers that goes out by yourself, based on your own interests, on your own terms, and as time allows. I do that too. There's a great deal of enjoyment that comes from that. But as my title suggests, for me, two is better than one. I would much rather go out on a shoot with another photographer than go by myself. I've seen the benefits of sharing too many times. It occurs spontaneously, in the moment, and can be either something about technique, position, or something about life and not photography at all... And whether I'm the receiver, or the giver, the outcome is the same...a great sense of enjoyment for my photographic pursuits. I'd also like to think that that enjoyment translates into more interesting, beautiful, and inspiring images.
As always, feel free to drop me a line if you have comments or questions, at CostaMesaPhotography@gmail.com and take time to check out my website photo gallery at www.CostaMesaPhotography.com If you see images there that you like, they can be ordered as prints, or as imprints on a variety of product merchandise.
