Open Learning to open Be not hindered by others Shine on your own time
I have been wanting to get up North for awhile this year. And by North, I mean to the 1000 Island region of NY. Specifically, to Clayton. I had visited the area for a friend’s wedding in 2018 and have continually told myself I needed to go back. Sunday was the day for my adventure.
Sunrise was going to be around 6am. I wanted to capture the morning blue hour which put my arrival time at 5am(ish). Two hour drive backs me up to leaving the apartment at 3am and getting the boys (cats) situated put my wake-up call at 2:30am.
Clayton is on the St. Lawrence River and it was a little windy when I arrived. I wasn’t sure if my piloting skills would hold up to flying the drone over water in the wind so I started by running around with the camera. What a beautiful morning. The sounds of water lapping against the shoreline, the intensifying colors in the sky and the overall peacefulness made the drive totally worth it.
I even managed to sit in an Adirondack chair and simply enjoy the view. Highly recommended!
Morning Light Water and wind flow Light arises, greet the day Your journey begins
I did collect enough courage to fly the drone. I haven’t processed the images yet. I’ll save those for another day. I also expanded on the adventure and explored the coast from Clayton down to Oswego. Sticking mainly to the smaller routes and slowly making my way back home. More on that too…
I went for a walk after dinner. No, it wasn’t because I ate too much… OK, maybe a little.
I decided to walk the canal trail. Not usually as many photo opportunities but I can hear the sounds of the Mohawk River. Added bonus today was the sound of the rustling leaves in the trees. The wind was an issue trying to grab my images, but I was OK with that. The concerto Mother Nature conducted was exactly what I needed.
I did find a few images…
Light Within Self recognition The path to embrace yourself Be the light within
Thursday evening at Delta Lake yielded a trove of images. I was running up and down the beach area setting up the camera for every view I liked. It wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would have been for such a beautiful ending to the day. I’m OK with that. There are days you want company and others you revel in the solitude. I’m good with that too.
I am me. I know who I am. I didn’t always. Why does it take so long to find out? Does it for everybody? Surfing the waves of my memory I can point to events that forged the earlier version of me. Would changing those events make me different now. Probably. Would I want to… no. I am me.
Lost in Reflection At the water's edge True self revealed deep within Lost in reflection
I processed this one the other day. I really liked the combination of the colors. I think there is more to this image, but it is still rumbling around in my head. I stayed up late last night attempting to capture the Perseid meteors which did not go as well as planned. More on that adventure later…
It was a long day at work. One of those days where you are constantly running around but not really accomplishing anything. Where you are being pulled from one small problem to the next. Where your list of projects mockingly calls at you, knowing you will not get to it… yeah, one of those days.
Getting home later than usual doesn’t bother me, the fresh wave of heat and humidity does. After dinner I was not thinking of going back out there, into the sauna, for a few “pictures”. I sat down on the couch and picked up Rick Sammon’s book, the one I mentioned a while ago that I had started. I didn’t get very far into the next chapter when I read a passage about landscape photographers. It hit home.
Always around sunrises and sunsets I keep looking out the windows (actually the time leading up to those events), trying to gauge if I should or shouldn’t go chasing the light. I don’t know why I have these internal struggles. I forget you have to be out there and experience the light in order to capture it. Go! Just go out there and let your eye wander. Point the camera at anything that interests you. Rick’s passage in his book reminded me…
One glance to the west and I knew the sunset was going to be one to watch. I didn’t need to photograph it, I needed to experience it, and if I happen to capture an image… bonus! I headed down to Bellamy Harbor…
Bellamy Harbor has not been a sunrise destination for me in quite a while. After the city placed the fences around the canal control gates I didn’t want to up my frustration for the missing harbor view. I get it. I understand why. Still annoys me.
I did go Saturday morning though. I was half hoping the fences would be down (they are not). Maybe there would be a way for me to get my favorite view of the harbor (there is not). I’m sure there is another view that will be “the view” (nope).
I still enjoyed my time at the park but it was related to being there. The sound of the water rushing over the spillway. The call of the ducks as they paddled through the water. The rustle of leaves in the trees. Aaahhh! Good morning…
Sunrise Blues Mornings unhindered A state of serenity Hear the sunrise blues
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