In the last few weeks, I've taken a break of sorts from photography and gone back to nature strictly for what it is. I've taken walks in the woods, along streams and powercuts. I hiked a Catskill peak with friends and watched the sun set almost every night. I bumped into a porcupine in a tree trunk one day, and shared some laughs over the funny little creature. Most importantly, I've enjoyed every minute of my time outside. Not everything was meant to be captured in a picture, or shared with the world. Perhaps those moments in nature that slip away from the camera are the best ones. The ones you keep to yourself.
It's becoming more and more difficult to be different these days; to make "original" images, things people haven't seen before, new angles, light, subjects. It's tough. It's even more difficult when you live here in the northeast. At times it feels as though there are more cameras than there are wildlife. And unlike others, I don't necessarily enjoy the crowd mentality. I'd rather be off on my own, seeing things as they were meant to be - wild. I've lost the urge to compete with others for likes and followers. Instead, I've found a drive to make memories. Memories with friends; with myself; with Earth. I'm beginning to find my niche in the places away from the beaten path. There's so much to see out there. So much to explore. Time to get out and find it.
Kyle