This passion of mine is an art form and a business, but it is also quite a bit more than just those two things to me. I use it as an escape too, allowing myself to get away to a zone where I can be on my own. Everybody needs some type of escapism that has a positive impact on their lives and I chose landscape photography!
It doesn’t have to be a lot of stress in order for it to be nice to get away for a little while. Just about everybody has some way of relieving their stress. I decided to use it to create something positive through art. Even if I don’t shoot any images a good hike gets the blood flowing, legs moving forward, and the mind running smoother. Leaving any other worries of the day behind is a good sort of natural therapy in order to hit the reset button.
While out in nature it starts to become and immersing experience of soaking away in the environment I happen to be in. Whether it is the sand on a beach, rustling of leaves, or rush of a waterfall there is something unexplainable about how it affects the soul. Enjoying the experience of a morning or afternoon in the field walking around with a camera and tripod observing the environment is one of the best escapes from the rest of the world you can have!
Daily life can become monotonous, especially if you get into too much of a pattern or rhythm. I don’t think humans were designed to live inside of a strict schedule for very long, and that is why we need disruptions from the norm occasionally. It is why people will live in Iowa and vacation in Florida because they find things completely different from what they are used to.
I like to be left alone with my thoughts sometimes. It is why a good road trip or long hike can be something to look forward to. This time alone is also when I tend to become more creative with my mind’s eye. Being alone in an environment conducive to creating great images makes for an awesome combination I will always be excited for when it happens!
Another aspect of using landscape photography as escapism I get to go to places I would have never thought of going to before. Hiking part of the way up a mountain for example to find wildflowers is a great example because of the experience I got to have while doing it. I saw marmots scurrying along the trail and through the grasses. I heard the thundering of glaciers crumbling into the valley. I felt the sun race across the mountain face growing colder immediately after going into the shade of imminent nightfall. It was all brilliant!
Speaking of that experience on the mountain, I must mention that landscape photography isn’t always about the images I capture. It is about the experiences I get to have in nature. The occasional escape from the troubles life can throw at me, and even the awesome people I get to meet and share these experiences with along the way. It all twists itself into what I consider landscape photography to me as more than just a business or art form. It is a big part of who I am today as a well rounded person.
