It’s not the Photograph.
The most important thing about photography is not the photographs. At least not for me. I realized this recently while out taking some photographs. I was out on a beautiful hike in Wallace Falls State Park in Washington State. Gorgeous moss-covered trees, lush ferns, and a river flowing through the valley. It was calm, relaxing, and stunning. Up the valley, and after a short but steep climb, were waterfalls. It was a promising start to the day.
I started my hike toward the falls, making sure to take time to enjoy my surroundings along the way. There were so many things that were drawing my eye as I walked through the woods. I stopped to photograph a few things. A fall leaf on a boulder in the river, a fun mushroom sprouting from a tree, and a clump of small pinecones on the woodland floor. I was having an incredible time. I was surrounded by beautiful things and simply enjoying the moment and myself. All the while, I still had waterfalls to look forward to.
As I was on the uphill climb of the trail, I could hear the falls in the distance. It would not be long now; the main subject of my day was near. I rounded the corner and took the short spur trail down to the falls. And there it was, directly in front of me, a railing. I was at a viewpoint for the falls; there was no getting to them, so I could only look at them from a distance. I was crestfallen. I had built this moment up in my head so much, and to be denied was disappointing. This was as close as I was going to get. It was almost enough to send me packing and head back to the car. Almost.
I stood there in the midst of these beautiful woods, looking out at a gorgeous waterfall, and realized how ridiculous I was being. I had forgotten why I truly set out to create photographs. I had turned my outing into a laundry list of shots to get and had forgotten that my main objective is to enjoy my surroundings. My photographs remind me how lucky I am to experience the outdoors and how much I appreciate simple things. My images remind me that the world is full of wonder, and I get to create my own art with it, bring it home, and share it with others. Now, would this image have been better from the base of the falls and closer? Maybe, but that is not the point; I was still able to be there, witness them, and appreciate them. The photograph didn't matter; the experience did.
