VN#005: Niut – Part 2 of 4
A Photographic Adventure to the Niut Mountains
Part 2 of 3: A wilderness form of ‘street photography’
Wandering over new landscapes with a few friends provides me with rare opportunities to photograph people engaged in their own worlds of discovery. Much like street photography, capturing people during specific moments in time as they roam wild places, can reveal personality traits of nature lovers and intrepid explorers.
I love these days with a passion; floating freely around the landscape with two camera/lens combinations, seeking elements of composition in relation to each person in my viewscape. I am always anticipating where people are going and what opportunities may open up as a result. By following hunches, I zig-zag across landscapes on high alert; always energized and excited; always awaiting the next surprise.
As I engage with my passion, I capture Teresa engaged in hers.
Rita is often in deep thought, examining natural relationships in the environment and discovering patches of berries for our evening desert. I am always excited when she calls me over to see or photograph what she has discovered; inevitably it is something I would never have seen.
As Mike hikes through huge boulders amidst massive peaks, he seeks the details of tiny landscapes with his macro lens. At home he writes Haiku poems about each.
Rita, who is never seen with a camera, discovers worlds unrecognized by others. Later in the evening, she often describes her observations and related thoughts; they are topics for discussion, and they often generate new ideas for my photographic imaginings.
Occasionally, all elements align, and I find myself uncontrollably excited about what I am seeing. The element of chance had me standing beside a tiny turquoise pond as Rita and Mike stopped on a ridgeline to admire the viewscape. I know from experience these are rare moments in time which will never reoccur. Gaining control of my excitement, I make my technical and artistic decisions deliberately and with care. It was a one-time opportunity.
Teresa returns to camp feeling energized by her day of adventure and discovery.