A few years ago, I discovered an art form that transformed my approach to photography: sumi-e, or the art of Japanese Ink Painting. This ancient art taught me to capture the world in a simpler, yet more powerful way. By studying sumi-e paintings, I learned to harness the power of suggestion and simplification in my own work, inviting viewers to engage and connect on a deeper level.
Lake District, October 2023.
From the video Lake District.
California, March 2024.
From the video Snow, rain and fallen trees in the Redwoods.
Oregon, March 2024.
From the video The gift of the desert.
Oregon, March 2024.
From the video The gift of the desert.
Oregon, March 2024.
From the video The gift of the desert.
Lake District, England, October 2023.
From the video Lake District National Park ~ Black and White Photography.
Old Man of Storr, Scotland, September 2023.
From the video Isle of Skye.
Oregon, March 2024.
From the video The gift of the desert.
Oregon, March 2024.
From the video The gift of the desert.
This sight may fade away from your memory over time, but you will never forget the way witnessing it made you feel.
Indiana, April 2024.
La Mancha, December 2021.
From the video Photographing Don Quixote's giants in La Mancha.
Central Oregon, March 2024.
From the video The gift of the desert.
Central Oregon, March 2024.
From the video The gift of the desert.
Central Oregon, March 2024.
From the video The gift of the desert.
Weather and chance lead me to Central Oregon, the next destination on my road trip across the American West. But this leg of the journey wasn't going to be as smooth as I was hoping for.
There, far away from everything and everyone, I fight the elements and an even more powerful enemy: my inner demons. I doubt myself, my photography, and even my purpose. An accident that resulted in a broken lens didn't make things any better; neither did a very cluttered mind after spending several days trapped inside the car.
The isolation of the desert was another unpleasant layer, but as the days went by, and with no other option but to embrace it, it became exactly the medicine I needed. It was the gift of the desert.
California, February 2024.
From the video Chasing bad weather at Yosemite.
Scotland, August 2023.
From the video Isle of Skye.
England, October 2023.
From the video Lake District.
After years of doing this, one thing is pretty clear to me: more gear, more problems. A lesson I should’ve learned a long time ago, and yet, here we are.
During my most recent road trip across the US, despite lugging around 8-9 lenses, I did most of my photography and video work with just 2 of them. Add a couple of primes and the telephoto for those rare images that needed them, and the math tells me I’ve got 4-5 too many lenses.
But it gets worse, because of all the accessories and other gadgets cluttering up my bag: from the neglected 360 camera to the wireless mic that my phone could easily replace. It’s all excess baggage.
So, it’s time for a spring cleaning. I went through my bag (and closet) and decided to part ways with a bunch of stuff. Letting go is the easy part, though. The real challenge will be to resist the temptation to fill those now-empty spaces back up with new and shiny objects. To stay light.
Because out there, when the hike gets tough, when the weather takes a turn for the worse, when you are tired and exhausted after hours of chasing the shot... less is more. Always.
