It’s hard to imagine that it’s been since November 4th, 2021 since I took my camera out, and walked around for the sole purpose of taking pictures. Sure I’ve walked around my neighbor”hood”, outings to the Bizarre a few times, and the car show last week, but today was the first, intentional walk to get back in touch with the outdoors. It’s called “South Ogden Nature Park“.
The path Jamie and I did today was a little trail I did one night after work last summer. It’s a mom and stroller kind of walk, no steep areas, wide, paved, and houses that cost as much as 8 years of my total gross annual wages surround the trail up on the hills. I can’t find my “good” tripod, so I used my 1st, and worst tripod for this evening’s adventure. To say the tripod is shaky is an understatement. I’m glad that most of the pictures were relatively quick shutter speeds, but still, they’re not clear at all.
Walking to the mouth of the path I snapped a picture just to see if my camera worked. I forgot that I had the ND8 filter on from the car-show, and kept wondering why my shutter speeds were close to half a second with a wide open f-stop. Then about 5 pictures in, I realized it and they got better, until the sun started to drop below sunset level, and the blur and shake were back.
After the first few images, I pulled the ND (Neutral Density) filter off, and the world was bright again.
It felt good to hike with a tripod in one hand, my camera strap under my other hand, and see the world in instances of framing, focus, and composition. Although, to be honest, after the first couple images, I keep the strap around my neck, and leave the camera latched onto the tripod. It’s fine when you’re alone, but Jamie got jabbed pretty good the first time I stopped to see something and she got caught tail-gating.
Around the second side of the loop, I took more sunset, silhouette, composed pictures that I just couldn’t get the color to come out on. Here they are regardless.
Next weekend is the 25th Street Car Show. It’s from about 5pm-9pm. I’ve got to work that day, but I think I’ll ask for the night off just to get my car out there, walk around, and get some more camera time with my Pentax.
Hope every one has a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. While you’re burnin’ beef, scorching hot-dogs, and having a cold one, please understand that we’ve got this Monday off to remember, honor, and thank those that gave their all for the country I call my own.
~me
