From the blog
Story
HIking around, I see amazing things. Like the shot above. It’s just on a trail in Yosemite. I can’t even remember where. But I remember hiking along, looking uphill to my right, and seeing those trees. It was beautiful and I knew it was a great shot. I pulled out my camera and took the shot. Just a quick shot, no time spent other than whipping out the camera and snapping the shot. And now I remember the moment whenever I look a the the image. I think my memory is graphically triggered. I don’t remember a lot of facts (trivia games have never been my thing), I don’t remember a lot of stories (telling stories around a campfire or telling jokes has never been something I was good at), but I do remember moments that are triggered by images or by smells.
I’m probably the biggest consumer of my own podcasts because I like to watch them and remember the moments during the trips. Memories are awakened and I’m brought back. When I get ready to post a blog I don’t think about what I am going to write (usually), I go through my folders of images and find one that reminds me of a story or a thought. The words come from the image and the memories.
I take video of the outdoors because I found photographers to be a dime a dozen. And so many of the photographers out there are sooo damn good, I just didn’t think I could compete with the still image. I tried, and I consider myself to be a good photographer. There are just so many awesome photographers out there. I didn’t see many people doing nature podcasts. Sure, there are some great professional TV and Movie nature shows, but there weren’t many podcasts. So I dove in. I dropped out of the Academy of Art, spent the student loan money for the term to come on the best camera I could get (Panasonic HVX200), and started shooting. It was literally my first time behind any camera other than a ma and pa DV video camera. I was a complete beginner in video.
Where I lacked in shooting skills, I made up in hiking skills. I hiked, backpacked, drove, and flew to places and brought my equipment on some crazy trips to some beautiful places. My first attempts were not so great. I was not comfortable in front of the camera and I was not confident with the camera. My show on Yosemite Falls was the first trip that actually became a show and I would love to reshoot it. Shows shot before Yos. Falls never made it anywhere.
I used to see shots, and take them with my camera. Now I see shots and movement and capture it with my video camera. It’s how I remember where I’ve been.
Here is the Yosemite Falls show. Remember, it’s my first. 🙂