Walking and photographing

Walking is not only good for your health, it allows us to think about things, or nothing, listen to music, listen to nature and, why not, also be an opportunity to photograph? I did that a few days ago, and I have to do it more often.

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I haven’t been able to photograph for several weeks. It is a terrible feeling, sometimes almost despair. I find it hard to look at the equipment and see it leaning against the door, waiting to go out and do what I like best. The days are spent thinking “it’s today!”, Or “is it today?”. And it doesn’t work today. Not tomorrow. The days go by, more white hair is born, more wrinkles, but the equipment is still waiting, ageing, but still new.

For four years I have tried to exercise regularly, walking or running, depending on the days and the will. On these mornings, I take my mobile phone with me. Sometimes I even took the camera. The mobile phone is good, but I prefer the whole ritual of shooting with a real camera. It is more than obvious that running and carrying a camera at the same time is not the most natural and comfortable. And neither is done well. But the addiction to photography is sometimes stronger and leads to these “adventures”.

I admit I haven’t done this in a long time. Until a few days ago. I woke up early. Or rather, my youngest son woke me up early. Instead of going back to bed, I laid him down in my place in bed and took a walk. I looked at the backpack and I took the Olympus E-M5 MK II and the 14-150mm lens. It is a light and small set. But for those who are going to run or walk a few kilometres, they need to put things in perspective and the little one can stop being. But the desire to photograph spoke even louder and I didn’t even think about it anymore.

I will repeat myself. In fact, I think that in most of my texts I always say this. I am a person who sees the world in a more angular way and it is difficult for me to look from a more closed point of view. I am more a 17mm kind of person than 85mm. Or, in this case, more a 14mm than 150mm. I like to photograph at sunrise or sunset. With tripod, filters and whatever else exists. As you may have noticed, none of this happened, as this day I just carried the camera with me.

I decided to challenge myself – well, maybe it’s a strong word. Since the conditions – light, equipment, location – were not the best, I would try to use longer focal lengths during my hike, look more at details and less at great vistas or more open angles. It’s almost like asking a marathon athlete to do the 100 meters: he might do it, but the result can be catastrophic.

I will not say that the following images are catastrophic, but I am sure that I will not be invited to set up an exhibition. But these were the ones I did this morning and decided to share with you all. It was a challenge – in fact, we should regularly do this type of exercise – but at the same time, a good moment photographing.

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