The Moment.
I was out hiking through the woods near Atlanta, Georgia, on a warm, rainy morning. It had already been a good day of photography, so I was in good spirits and just enjoying being outside. As I was meandering through the woods, I came across this stream that was feeding into Sweetwater Creek, where I had just been. The rock formations were what caught my eye. They were dark grey, with rippled patterns and layers. The recent rain had left them soaked and shimmering in the diffused light. It was the rock in the middle of the stream that really caught my attention. I knew this was the main subject of the photo I wanted to create. But like most good things in life, I was going to have to work for it.
I knew the best position for me was in the middle of the stream to get a cleaner background and show more of the water flowing around my main character. While the stream was not much deeper than a foot, it was deeper and colder than I was willing to stand in. So I was going to have to hopscotch across some smaller rocks to reach a spot where I could stand and get the angle I was looking for. There would not be a place for me to set my camera bag down once I was in position, so I needed to think through my shot before I scurried out there. I knew I wanted to show the rocks on either side of my subject, the ones that formed the banks of this stream. I also knew I wanted to darken down the water and provide a little contrast. I also knew I would want a slow shutter speed to blur the water and emphasize the stream's movement and shape. So armed with my 15-38mm lens and my filters, I slapped the camera on the end of my tripod and made my way into position.
I was having Fun. Yes, capital F fun. This is what this image is about for me. I was caught up in a moment. I was already enjoying the day, and now I was excited about a new prospect. This was a continuation of feeling good. I was putting effort into holding on to my mood. I was enjoying my surroundings. I was invigorated by my discoveries. It is these moments that make every failed outing, every missed photograph, all those times the light wasn’t right, or the weather didn’t cooperate, melt away. The missed opportunities no longer matter. All that matters is now, this moment, this feeling, this excitement. As I stood in the middle of a stream with my camera, it wasn’t the image in the viewfinder I was capturing; it was the experience I was having in that moment.
